Uncertain Destiny Part I: Shadows in the Night
by Sleeping0Dragon
Summary: At the stroke of midnight, a special hour called the Dark Hour exists. During this hour, monsters called Shadows appears and devours the people of Iwatodai. Only the special team, S.E.E.S. have the means to defeat these monsters by using the power of Persona. With Makoto Yuki's help, they will solve the mysteries behind the Shadows and the Dark Hour. A novelization of Persona 3.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue: The Strangers**

**4/6/2009****: 11:45 P.M.**

A train moved quickly in the quiet cool night as it approached its destination of Iwatodai Station. Almost midnight, salarymen and teenagers hurried to catch the last train home to their families. Exhausted from the long day of working and playing, these stragglers slept peacefully on the rocking train. On this peaceful night, four strangers silently intruded on the mundane lives of these passengers.

Amongst the occupants of the train, only a single passenger could be found in the last cart, a sleeping blue haired teenager. He had a slender build and he was wearing a dark gray sweater and blue jeans. Music poured through his headphones as he sat resting his eyes, oblivious of the four mysterious presences watching him closely. At first blush, these beings appeared to be humans in their early thirties, but their large golden wings protruding from their backs revealed that they were not from this world. A powerful bright energy emitted from their bodies that could either calm a person or simply crush that person with its pure brilliance. Armored in shiny breastplates, pauldrons and greaves, these beings were like battle angels who had fought in the name of God many years ago.

The angel on the far right with short crimson red hair rubbed his smooth chin as he stared intently at the boy. "Is he the one?"

"There is a good probability that he is," answered the female angel with long green hair running down her back. "What do you think?" The female angel turned to the angel to her left with spiky blue hair.

"Hmmm, he certainly has "his" good looks and I can see that he would be popular with the ladies," the angel said with a large smirk on his face. "Although, he can't compare to me." The angel ran a hand through his perfect trimmed hair.

"I don't know why I even asked," the female said as she placed a hand on her forehead and shook her head in an annoyed manner.

The fourth angel with golden blond hair tied in a simple ponytail moved toward the boy and opened his right palm wide. Only an inch separated from the boy's face and the angel's white palm. Energy began emitting from the angel's hand as he closed his eyes and tried to find something invisible to the naked human eye. After half a minute, the angel opened his eyes and was perplexed at what he found. "There is both darkness and light within him." The other angels were shocked in disbelief at what they had heard.

"If he has darkness in him, then he couldn't be the one," the red haired angel shouted. His response earned nods of approval from the female angel and the angel with spiked hair.

"…I'm not sure about that," said the angel with golden hair.

"What do you mean?" the female angel asked.

"Along with the very powerful darkness, the light existing within him is equally as strong. Darkness aside, the boy's light is the strongest I have felt since we began our search."

"Then what do we do?" the red haired angel asked.

"For now, we will wait and see," the golden haired angel answered.

"If that is what you've decided, then we will also wait," the female angel said.

"Whether he is our savior or our destroyer, we will know soon enough," the golden haired angel quietly muttered. In the next second, the four angels completely disappeared leaving nothing behind. It was as if they had never been there in the first place.

* * *

**Chapter I: Beginning of the Journey**

**4/6/2009****: 11:55 P.M.**

Makoto Yuki slowly opened his eyes as a male voice echoed throughout the train indicating that the passengers were about to arrive at Iwatodai Station. Keeping his blue headphones on as it played a rock song; he moved his head from right to left as he scanned his surroundings. He suddenly remembered that he was on a train that was heading towards Iwatodai City. He had lived in Iwatodai for seven years, but he moved to Sapporo after the death of his parents. Staying with his paternal grandfather, he lived a rather mundane life except for a few instances.

After ten years, Makoto's grandfather had passed away due to old age and it was around this time when he received an invitation to attend Gekkoukan High School in Iwatodai with a full scholarship and paid housing. Rather than live with distant relatives in Kyoto that he didn't know, he decided to accept the invitation and left on the train heading to Iwatodai the week after. He had been riding on the train for a few hours and now he was about to return to his birthplace.

After the train came to a quick stop, Makoto stood up and stretched his arms to remove his fatigue. Hoping to get as much sleep as he could for the next day, he hurried off the train, up the large set of stairs and out of the station. Although it was already April, the night remained cold and breezy. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and examined it. The paper had a drawing of buildings and a red line that ran from the station to a place marked "Minatodai Dorm." Without wasting another second, he walked down the street and hoped that he was heading the right way.

Even though it was nearing midnight, Makoto was surprised to see that many people remained out at this time. Some were standing in groups talking loudly amongst themselves and others were sitting around chatting quietly. Most were teenagers and people in their twenties. They were clearly people unsatisfied with society, as they showed no urgency to return home and prepare for the day after.

As Makoto walked down the street, nobody paid any attention to him as they all thought that he was just another troubled runaway in a city full of troubled people because he was carrying a duffel bag. Similarly, Makoto paid little attention to them because he was enveloped in a mysterious feeling of nostalgia. Although he had lived here for seven years, he couldn't recall any memories of this city. His mind became so muddled with darkness that his life in Iwatodai became a complete blank. However, he could still recall vague feelings that he couldn't describe. Even though his mind didn't remembered, his body had remembered his life in this large lively city.

Before Makoto knew it, the surroundings underwent a complete change. Noticing that his mp3 player had stopped working, he looked around at what he thought was the city. The sky had turned to a murky green. The air became dead silent. Red liquid appeared on the ground and walls. The people who were happily chatting were no longer there. Large standing black coffins that glowed red had replaced them. An eerie feeling ran through his body like an electric current. An ordinary person would have been scared or confused if he saw the strange scene. However, Makoto was not an ordinary person.

For ten years, Makoto had seen many strange things from monsters to demonic creatures. He soon realized that others couldn't see the same things as he could and grew to believe that he was somehow mentally unstable. Because of this, he always felt distant from people even though he was right next to them, chatting like ordinary friends. That is why he wasn't particularly perturbed by the scene and believed that it was a simple figment of his imagination. He continued his walk and ignored the "illusions" that were not there.

It wasn't long until Makoto arrived at what he hoped was his destination. There were no signs or words to indicate that he was at the dorm. The building was about five stories high with a few large windows on each floor. The brown bricks had noticeable dirt, dust, and dark green plants growing on the front side of the building. On the left of the building was a three story tall building that looked abandoned. The windows and doors were all boarded up. There does not appear to be anyone around and it was so quiet that he felt as if he was in a dangerous area of the city.

Noticing a faint glow in the front window, Makoto walked up the doorsteps and approached the large double door. He brought his right fist up and when he was about to knock on the door, it suddenly opened, silently welcoming him in. Without any hesitation, he walked inside and closed the door behind him. Looking around, he noticed that the room was poorly lit, but he was able to see a large counter to the left. There was an old television in the middle of the room and there was a set of two brown couches and two armchairs. On the far end of the room was a dining table and he could see a staircase leading up on the far left side of the room.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time for you." Makoto suddenly heard a slightly irritated voice from his left side. Reflexively turning toward the voice, he saw a young boy about ten years standing behind the counter. He was wearing what appeared to be pajamas with black and white stripes. His dark eyes appeared to be laughing at a joke that only he knew.

Makoto was shortly taken aback by the child's sudden appearance. He was sure that nobody was there a moment ago and wondered if the child too was a figment of his own imagination. Before he could reflect further, the child spoke once more in a calm, yet eerie voice.

"Now if you want to proceed, please sign your name there." The child pointed to a page of a red book that suddenly appeared just like the boy had. "Don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff."

It suddenly occurred to Makoto that the child was probably the relative of someone working at the dorm and it was likely short staffed so the only one who could welcome him in was the child. Looking down at the contract, Makoto glossed over the words "accepting full responsibility." He guessed that he had to compensate the dorm if he caused any harm such as burning the building down. After signing the contract, he handed the contract back to the child who happily accepted.

"Most people cannot escape time. It delivers us all to the same end. We can't plug our ears or cover our eyes." The child looked straight into Makoto's eyes as if searching for something. "I wonder if it's the same with you?" The contract quickly disappeared into thin air. "Your journey now begins. I can't wait to see where it will end." After giving Makoto a mysterious smile, the boy disappeared. Before Makoto could digest, what the mysterious words were about or whether the child too was part of his imagination; he heard a voice shouting from the staircase.

"Who's there?" The voice had a mixture of both fear and hostility. Out of the darkness walked a girl about his age. She was wearing a pink cardigan and a black skirt. It was likely a school uniform. Before Makoto could reply, he saw the girl reach down to what appeared to be a holster on her thigh. The shiny glint of metal on the holster was likely a gun. He was about to jump behind the counter for cover when another voice rang throughout the room.

"Takeba, wait!" The new voice had stopped the girl from grabbing the gun and the voice's owner walked into the room. The red headed girl was around his age and she too was wearing a school uniform except without the cardigan. Unlike the nervous state the former girl was in, the new girl exuded unparallel confidence. The lights suddenly turned on as if the new girl willed it to happen.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late," said the red headed girl. "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo, a third year and I'm one of the students at this dorm." With the lights on, Makoto could now see that Mitsuru had long red hair that covered part of her beautiful face. She was likely older than him and the way she crossed her arms made her look like a rich stern young woman.

"Who's he?" the girl in the cardigan asked, as her hand slowly moved away from the gun. The girl had short brown hair with a stylish cut and she had a noticeable white heart choker on her neck. Like Mitsuru, the girl was attractive and had visibly calmed down compared to a minute ago.

"He's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign him here so he'll eventually be moved to a room in the boys' dorm."

"Is it okay for him to be here?" The girl was becoming anxious, probably because it seemed like Makoto was intruding into a girls' dorm.

"I guess we'll see…" Mitsuru trailed off as she became distracted about something.

"Wait, is this the girls' dorm?" Makoto asked, suddenly confused at the situation.

"No, this is a special coed dorm," Mitsuru answered. "You're only here temporarily until we finalized the living arrangements. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's fine so long as I get a place to sleep tonight." Makoto shrugged his shoulders, feeling indifferent at the problem.

"That's good to know," Mitsuru said. "By the way, this is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a second year starting tomorrow like you." She motioned her hand toward the girl in the cardigan.

"…Hey," Yukari replied with a slight wave.

"I'm Makoto Yuki, nice to meet you."

"Uh y-yeah, nice to meet you too." Yukari noticed that Makoto was staring at the gun on her thigh. "T-This is a toy gun you know." She moved her leg so Makoto couldn't see the gun anymore.

"It's for self-defense," Mitsuru interjected. "It's getting dangerous these days _especially_ at night. Even if it's not real, it should still scare some people off."

Makoto nodded his head as he saw some truth in those words. He also thought it was a real gun as well and was planning to run for his life at the mere sight of it. Before he realized it, he released a loud yawn that surprised both Yukari and Mitsuru.

"It's getting late, so you should get some sleep," Mitsuru said with a chuckle. "You're room is on the second floor, at the end of the hallway and your things should already be there."

"I'll show you the way," Yukari said as she began heading up the stairs. "Follow me."

"Goodnight Kirijo-senpai," Makoto said, turning to Mitsuru.

"Goodnight Yuki." Makoto then followed Yukari up the stairs and it wasn't long until he reached his room.

"So this it." Yukari moved her hand toward the door. "Don't lose your key or you'll never hear the end of it. So…any questions." There was a slight hesitation in her voice.

Makoto didn't really have any questions, but he suddenly remembered the boy at the front desk. "That boy…"

"…What boy?" Yukari asked after Makoto didn't finish his sentence.

"Uh, never mind." Makoto tried to end the subject before he sounded like a crazy person who should be in a hospital rather than a dorm.

"Hmmm," Yukari mumbled to herself, curious as to what he was about to say. However, she suddenly remembered something else. "Um…Can I ask you something?" Her nervousness seemed to have returned replacing her recent friendly demeanor. "On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

Makoto's walk to the dorm was not okay at all. He saw the sky turn green, the appearance of creepy coffins, blood like liquid, people disappearing and his mp3 player stopped working. He would've told Yukari that, but he was sure that was all his imagination. "Everything was okay."

"Oh, good then. It's seems like you're all right." Yukari was visibly relieved for some reason. "Well, I better get going then." She walked a few steps away before turning around. "I'm sure you have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Sweet dreams."

"Yeah, you too." With a smile on her face, Yukari walked away and presumably toward her room.

Makoto then opened the door and threw his duffel bag onto the ground. After closing the door, he kicked off his shoes and fell face first onto the bed without even bothering to look around his room. Because of the long day he had, he was exhausted and immediately fell asleep. Tomorrow will be his first day at a completely new school.

Unbeknownst to the slumbering Makoto, four glowing balls of light were watching him from outside his window.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II: Gekkoukan High School**

**Tuesday 4/7/2009**: **?**

Black. Complete darkness; that is the only thing that Makoto could see no matter where he looked. He couldn't see his hands, his feet or any other part of his body. For all he knew, his body was not actually there and his mind was the only existence in this empty world. An unknown pressure spread throughout the area leaving Makoto short of breath. It was as if he was thousands of feet under the ocean. Forgotten, abandoned, desolate, and nothingness; were some of the words that came to mind as he continued looking for a way out.

Makoto was about to give up after what felt like an eternity until he saw a miniscule beam of light out of the corner of his eye. He exhaled a sigh of relief as he moved towards the light. As he gradually got closer and closer, he saw a red rectangular object in the distance. When he got within arm distance of the object, he realized it was a large red door. Because he was no longer in the darkness, he could now see his hands, arms and legs. His body was intact. Turning his attention from his body to the door, he saw that many strange symbols and markings were on the door. The deep scratches near the top of the door appeared to be words of some sort. It felt like the words were part of an ancient language that had existed over thousands of years ago.

An invisible force compelled Makoto toward the door and he could feel a burning sensation exuding from the door. There was a good possibility that his hand would instantly turn to ashes should he touch the door. However, he had no way of escaping this empty prison so he decided to make a gamble and move forward. He touched the door and a searing flash of pain enveloped his body for a split second before it was gone. The door loudly creaked open and a blinding light covered his body. He closed his eyes and shielded them with his arm to protect from the light.

After a long moment, Makoto opened his eyes and realized that the door was no longer there and he was now in a different room. Darkness ran in all directions except for the center of the room where an old man in a silver wheelchair sat staring at Makoto with an amused expression on his face. His white hair was receding, his body slender and wrinkly. He was wearing large black framed bifocals, a simple long white sleeved shirt and white pants. To Makoto, the old man was like any other senior citizen that he had seen in the park. However, the only distinguishing trait was his piercing red eyes that looked like he could see deep into Makoto's soul.

There was something strange about the old man so Makoto felt like he shouldn't move any closer to him. If he did, then he feared he might never escape this place. As if sensing Makoto's anxiety, the old man spoke for the first time since Makoto entered the room.

"I've been waiting a long time for you," the old man said in a deep booming voice. Makoto suddenly remembered that the mysterious boy he met in the dorm had said something similar as well. "I'm glad that we could finally speak face to face."

"Do you know me?" Makoto asked. He was confused as to why the old man was acting so familiar with him.

"Yes, I know you quite well, but you don't know me at all," the old man let out a chilly laugh.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Makoto almost shouted as he felt his emotions becoming unstable.

"You will learn who I am in due time," the old man smiled mischievously. "As to what I want, I like you to fulfill a simple wish of mine." The old man began slowly rubbing his hands together in anticipation of something.

"And that would be?"

"Sorry, but I can't reveal everything in our first get together. The party has just begun and this is only a mere greeting."

"What do you mean?" Makoto was getting more worried as the seconds tolled by in the room.

"No need to rush young man. School is about to start isn't it?" The old man pointed to a now materialized grandfather clock. Its hands showed 6:50. "And before you go, beware of The Horsemen as you cross the darkness." As the old man gave Makoto an ill foreboding warning, the old man's eyes glowed with a demonic red. For a second, Makoto thought he had seen a monster behind those eerie eyes, but the image had quickly disappeared, just as the room began to disappear as well.

* * *

**Tuesday 4/7/2009****: 6:50 A.M. Makoto's Room.**

The first sound Makoto heard when he woke up was the loud knocking reverberating throughout his room. With a groan, he flipped open his cellphone and saw that it was 6:50 A.M. Memories of his recent dream was already becoming hazy.

"It's Yukari. Are you awake, Yuki-kun?" A voice said from behind the door. With great difficulty, Makoto crawled out of bed and opened the door. Yukari was already in her school uniform.

"You look terrible; did you get any sleep at all?" Yukari asked, revealing a slight hint of concern in her voice. She noticed that Makoto's hair was so ruffled and disorderly that she could only see part of his eyes, which were struggling to stay open.

"Yeah…low blood pressure in the morning," Makoto mumbled.

"Really? Must be tough." Yukari then noticed that Makoto was dressed in the same clothes as the ones she saw him wearing yesterday night. "Did you sleep in those?" She pointed to his wrinkled clothes.

"I did…I was out like a light as soon as I fell on the bed." Makoto scratched his head as he looked around the room, noticing the large boxes for the first time.

"I see, well, Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. You'd better hurry or we'll be late. I'll give you five minutes to get ready."

"…Can I get ten?" Makoto asked as Yukari began heading out the door.

"Ten then," Yukari replied before closing the door.

Without wasting another second, Makoto fished out his toothbrush and toothpaste from his duffel bag and began brushing his teeth at the sink in his room. After washing his face, he opened the box that read "clothes" and began looking for his school uniform. He took out many of his folded clothes and finally found the uniform at the bottom of the box. The uniform consisted of black pants, a black belt, white-collar shirt and a black jacket. After putting on his uniform, he took a comb out of his duffel bag and tried to even his hair out the best he could. Next, he attached his mp3 player around his neck and put on his black penny loafers. Finally, he grabbed his black book bag and was finally out of his room with thirty seconds left to spare.

On his way to the stairs, Makoto passed by a room and saw a sign that read "Akihiko Sanada" on it. Whoever this "Akihiko" person was, he was apparently not in his room because Makoto couldn't hear any movements within. Moving on, Makoto ran downstairs and saw Yukari waiting for him by the door.

"Mitsuru-senpai already went on ahead. Are you ready?"

"Yep."

"Then let's go." Makoto and Yukari walked out of the door and headed towards the train station. As soon as they got there, they quickly boarded and were on the way to Gekkoukan. From the window, they both watched the city scenery flew by. Tiny waves moved across the glistening water as the morning breeze blew across the city. Rather than a school, Makoto felt like he was heading to a resort. The train was moving on rails that were built over the water that lead to Tatsumi Port Island where the school and other establishments were located.

"It's a nice view isn't it?" Yukari asked as she stared out the window.

"From where I lived, I didn't get many chances to see the ocean so this is a nice change of scenery."

"You lived in Hokkaido, right?" Yukari turned to face Makoto.

"That's right. For ten long years."

Yukari was about to ask him something else until she saw something out of the corner of her eye. "Look, you can see it from here." She pointed to a large establishment on the island. The large fancy white exterior showed that a lot of money was used to build it. Makoto felt lucky that he could attend that school without having to pay for anything.

About ten minutes later, Makoto and Yukari were at the large steel gate of the school. Makoto could see many students walking down a large pathway leading up to the front doors. They were all in uniform and looked like they either hated or enjoyed the first day of the new school year. From the front, the school looked quite large and it was about three stories tall. The building was painted a clean white and Makoto couldn't see any cracks or damages on the walls. The school's maintenance was definitely up to date.

Lining up on both ends of the walkway were fresh green trees and sakura trees. A breezed then passed through the entranceway and scattered the awakened sakura petals around the area. The swirling pink flowers mesmerized Makoto and he could feel something burning inside him that reacted to the wonderful scene in front of him. It was as if the flowers' pristine beauty was telling him that spring had just come and that it was only the beginning of his new life.

"Well this is it. Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it," Yukari said with a large smile on her face as if she had read Makoto's mind. With a renewed spirit, Makoto followed Yukari into the building and stopped at the shoe lockers. "You're okay from here on in, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The faculty office is right there to your left. So before I go, do you have any questions?"

"No, I think I can figure things out." Yukari's face suddenly became serious.

"…Hey, about last night…don't tell anyone what you saw last night, okay? See you later." Yukari nervously left before he could even give a response. He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but he presumed it was about that toy gun she had.

Makoto looked for his own pair of slippers at the shoe locker. With little effort, he found his name and switched his loafers with the blue slippers inside the locker. Next, he headed to the hallway on the left and searched for the faculty office. It was the first door to his left. Inside, he saw many desks with a lot of paperwork and folders piled high on them.

"Oh, are you the new student," said a woman as she sat up from behind the mess on her desk. She was in her late twenties with short brown hair. Dressed in a peach colored pant trouser suit, she appeared quite professional.

"Yes."

The woman took out a vanilla folder and began reading its contents. "Makoto Yuki, 11th grade. You used to live here in Iwatodai before moving to Sapporo. In 1999, your parents…" The woman suddenly gasped and regretted that she had read the information aloud. "I'm sorry. I've been so busy that I didn't get a chance to read this beforehand. I'm Toriumi and I teach composition here. Welcome to our school."

"Glad to be here," Makoto said as he slightly bowed to Toriumi-sensei.

"So, have you seen the classroom assignments yet? You're in 2-F, that's my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium because the Welcoming Ceremony is about to begin. Follow me."

The Welcoming Ceremony began as soon as Makoto entered the auditorium. Toriumi-sensei beckoned him to sit in a seat near the center aisle. Like the actual school building, the auditorium was large and spacious. There was nothing inside the room except for the large stage with a tall podium. He then saw a fat pudgy man in a white sweater and brown pants walked up to the podium from behind the stage. Makoto guessed that he was the principal as he began his speech.

"As you begin the new school year, I'd like each of you to remember the proverb, "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well." When applied to student life, this means…" The principal continued his speech in a dragging monotone voice that made it difficult for people to pay attention.

When Makoto felt like he was going to fall asleep, he heard someone quietly calling him from behind.

"Psst…Hey." Makoto half turned around to see what the person wanted.

"You came to school with Yukari-chan this morning, right? I saw you two walking together. So do you know if she has a boyfriend?"

"No idea." Makoto guessed that this person was Yukari's secret admirer or something. He thought that she didn't have a boyfriend, but he wouldn't be surprised if she did. The admirer was about to ask another question, but he was interrupted by someone who sounded like a teacher.

"I hear talking. I believe it's someone in Toriumi-sensei's class."

"Shhh! Be quiet!" Toriumi-sensei whispered from nearby. "You're going to get me in trouble!"

The admirer then refrained from talking throughout the speech. Feeling sleepy once again, Makoto relaxed and dozed off. He continued to sleep until someone violently shook his shoulders.

"Hey, wake up. It's over." Makoto opened his eyes and saw Toriumi-sensei, her face slightly flushing red. She was undoubtedly angry. He saw that there was nobody else in the auditorium.

"Geez, I can't believe you fell asleep. Well, you weren't the only one, but to do so on your first day…" Toriumi-sensei shook her head and sighed. "Don't tell me you're a troublemaker because I want my school year to be as peaceful as possible. I already have problems of my own…"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that. If I do fall asleep, it wasn't intentional. It just sort of happens." Makoto happily explained as he stretched his arms.

"Not intentional!" Once again, Toriumi-sensei shook her head in disbelief. "Let's just hurry to class alright?" She walked out of the auditorium and Makoto hurried to catch up. They entered the school building, walked up the staircase on the right side, down the hall until they stopped at room 2-F. "Wait right here before I call you in." She entered the classroom and began speaking to the class. "Quiet down everyone. You may have already heard, but we have a transfer student who's going to be studying with you all." She then turned to Makoto and waved him in.

As Makoto walked into the classroom, he heard many idle chatter among the students. He also noticed a surprised Yukari sitting in the front row, third seat from the left. She gave a quick wave to which Makoto nodded in return. The classroom was well lit because of the sunlight shining into the room from the large windows to the side. The desks were organized by five rows with six desks in each row. Every two desks in each row were huddled close together. The desks were silver and appeared to be polished and new. The desktop was wide enough to keep textbooks and other materials on the desk.

When Makoto got to the front of the room, he could see that all of the students had their entire attention on him. No matter what school you went to in Japan, you always had an interest in the new transfer student. This school was no exception.

"I'm Makoto Yuki and I'm seventeen years old, nice to meet you."

"…Uh, is that it?" Toriumi-sensei was looking a little disappointed. Makoto shrugged his shoulders. "W-Well you know what they say, less is more, right?" She awkwardly laughed at the situation. "Yuki-kun, you can sit there. There's nobody using that seat for some reason." She was pointing to the seat directly behind Yukari. After Makoto sat down, Toriumi-sensei addressed the class once again. "Because today is the first day, we have a short day so let's take care of some administrative business and quickly get out, shall we?" The class cheered loudly in support of her idea.

* * *

The administrative business didn't took long and it was over around lunchtime. The students had already begun dispersing out of the classroom to continue their day. Makoto was about to leave as well when someone came up to him.

"Sup dude, how's it going?" The grinning young man had been sitting across from Makoto's right side. He was wearing a blue baseball cap and his jacket was opened revealing a dark blue-collar shirt underneath. He had on a silver necklace and there was also a small stubble of hair on his chin.

"Uhh…who are you?" Makoto asked, confused as to whether he had met this person before because he was acting overly familiar with him.

"Me?" The young man's grin widened even further as he pointed a thumb at himself. "I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in the eighth grade. I know how tough it is being the new kid, so I wanted to say, "hey."…See what a nice guy I am!" At the sound of Junpei's voice, Yukari turned around from her seat.

"Stop bothering him Junpei."

"Hey, it's Yuka-tan! I didn't think we'd be in the same class again."

"Uhh, when will this curse finally end?" Yukari groaned aloud. It seemed like they were classmates for two years straight. She then turned to Makoto and her mood brightened a bit. "Anyway, it looks like we're in the same homeroom for the year."

"Yeah, I feel better having a familiar face in the same class."

"F-Familiar? Do you guys know each other or something?" Junpei was becoming strangely interested in them. "By the way, I heard that you two came to school together this morning. What's up with that? Gimme the dirt!" His smile became a mischievous grin.

"Wh-What are you talking about!" Yukari suddenly jumped out of her seat. "We live in the same dorm so there's nothing going on, okay? Why are people even talking about it? Now you have me worried…" Yukari then looked like she suddenly remembered something and moved closer to Makoto so she could whisper something to him. "Hey, you didn't say anything to anyone about…you know what, did you?"

"…No." Makoto slowly answered as it took him a while to recall what she was talking about.

"Okay, good. But seriously though, don't say anything about last night, alright?" The two were then surprised to see a shocked Junpei standing next to them.

"L-Last night…?

"W-Wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea!" Yukari moved her hands all over the place as if to somehow negate what she had said. "Listen, I just met him yesterday and there's absolutely nothing between us!" The three could see that the other remaining students were already whispering about what they heard. "A-Anyway you haven't received a tour of the school yet, right Yuki-kun? If you want, I'll give you one right now because I don't have archery practice today. So, what do you say?"

"Thanks Takeba-san, I guess I'll take you up on your offer then."

"We're the same age so just call me by my first name. This idiot already does anyway." Yukari motioned to Junpei.

"Oo, oo, me too." Junpei raised his arm vigorously. "Just call me Junpei."

"Then you guys can just call me Makoto then."

"Alright Makoto, since we're best buds now, I'll help out with the tour too." Junpei said. Makoto and Yukari were incredulous at the use of the words "best buds", but they didn't say anything about it.

"Okay fine, let's just get out of here." Yukari quickly walked out of the classroom. Junpei then leaned into Makoto and whispered.

"It's your first day here and people are already talking about you! Believe it or not, she's actually pretty popular. You da man! Heheh, this is gonna be a fun year. I can feel it!"

Out in the hallway, the two boys found Yukari standing outside the door waiting for them.

"Those are all the second year classrooms." Yukari pointed to the rooms on the same side as classroom 2-F. "On the other side are the Student Council Room and the PA Room." Makoto noticed that many fliers and bulletins were posted on the same wall as the Student Council Room and the PA Room. "I think that's pretty much it for this floor other than the water fountains around the corner."

"Yuka-tan, you're forgetting something important." Junpei chimed in.

"And what did I forgot."

"Over there are the bathrooms." Junpei pointed to the bathrooms at the end of the hallway.

"That's not important."

"Yes it is. You have to know where the closest bathroom is located in case you have an emergency during class or wherever. Am I right?" Junpei nudged Makoto in his side."

"He does make a strangely good point." Makoto replied.

"Anyway, moving on." Yukari began walking up the stairs. "These are the third year classrooms," Yukari said as soon as they got onto the third floor. This floor was nearly identical to the second floor.

"The bathrooms are over there," Junpei said as he pointed to the end of the hallway.

"Let's head up to the roof." Yukari moved upstairs and when she opened the door to the rooftop, Makoto could feel the sea breeze blow by. There were several benches and there were only a few people around. Makoto thought that it would be a good place to take a nap during lunchtime.

The three then headed downstairs to the first floor and walked through the large sliding doors on the right side. The walkway was made of gray stones and there were arches on both sides of the path. Makoto felt the walkway was part of an old European castle.

"This way leads to the athlete clubs and over there is an old persimmon tree. It's apparently been here quite a while." The persimmon tree near the middle of the walkway appeared to be further apart from the other trees and bushes. There was probably something special about that tree.

After they entered the building at the end of the walkway, Makoto found himself in a small hallway with doors on both sides. "These rooms are where the athlete clubs practice. No one has practice today so the rooms are all locked. We can however check out where the track team trains." Yukari opened a door at the end of the hallway and Makoto stepped into a large track field. The grass were all cleanly cut and the track lines are freshly painted. Everything looked brand new. "At the far end you could see the baseball diamond where the baseball team practices. Junpei, aren't you in the baseball club?"

"That's right, I'm Gekkoukan star batter…is what I'd like to say, but because I skipped out on practice often, I'm generally placed on the bench." Junpei scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed at the fact.

"What about you, Makoto-kun? Did you do anything while you were a first year or during junior high?" Yukari asked.

"I was in the kendo club for a while."

"Kendo, huh? You don't look like you'd be into kendo. I would have pegged you as an aloof that didn't bother with school clubs," Junpei said.

"I actually get that a lot," Makoto laughed. "What about Yukari-san? I heard you were part of the archery club."

"I've been doing it since junior high. Do you see that building over there? That's where the archery club practices." She was pointing to a small building close to the baseball diamond. "Well, I think we're done here so let's go inside."

The trio went back the way they came from and was on the first floor of classrooms. "These are where the first year classrooms are," Yukari began. "You can also find the art room, music room, home economics room, science room and laboratory here as well."

"The bathrooms are over there." Junpei added.

"We got it." Yukari was becoming slightly agitated.

Exiting the hallway, Makoto found himself back in the school's lobby. Yukari walked to a counter on the right side. "Here is where you can purchase school supplies and other various things such as food." Makoto felt hungry so he browsed the store's selections. There were various breads, sandwiches, and pastries. He noticed that the store sold book covers and they apparently sold for 5,000 yen each, which felt like a rip-off.

"Welcome, what can I get you?" the vendor woman asked.

"Give me one of those." Makoto pointed at the bread that was shaped like a crab.

"Okay one crab bread. That'll be 80 yen." He handed her the money and pocketed the bread for later. Feeling hungry themselves, Yukari and Junpei ordered something as well. Yukari bought the Cutlet Sandwich while Junpei bought the Yakisoba Bread.

"The last part of the school is the hallway where the faculty office was," Yukari said. "You can also find the nurse's office and the library there as well."

"So that is where the library was; you learn something new everyday," Junpei smiled to himself.

"Well that's the end of the tour," Yukari continued and ignored Junpei's recent statement. "I have to take care of something now so I'll see you at the dorm, okay?"

"Alright." Yukari then left the school building in a rush.

"I got to go too," Junpei said. "I'll give you a tour of Tatsumi Port Island tomorrow so see ya." Junpei waved Makoto goodbye and went back up the stairs.

Feeling like there was nothing left to do at the school, Makoto grabbed his shoes and left Gekkoukan. On his way to the train station, he stopped at a convenience store and bought a bento. When he got back to the dorm, there was nobody there. He wondered that for such a big dorm, there doesn't appear to be many occupants. There also doesn't appear to be any staff working at the dorm. The quietness and emptiness of the dorm during the daytime gave the place a mysterious feel to it.

Makoto's stomach suddenly rumbled and he then decided to eat lunch. He took his crab bread and ate it at the dining table while he listened to music on his mp3 player. Afterwards, he went upstairs and walked past Akihiko's room. Again, he doesn't appear to be in his room. When Makoto opened the door to his room, he was welcomed by a few large boxes. He thought this was the best time as any to unpack.

After a half an hour, Makoto had finally finished unpacking and he looked around the room to see that everything was in place. The bed lay in the right corner and the blue blanket was neatly in place. Next to the bed was a small television set similar to the one in the lounge. To the left of the television was a desk where he placed his laptop and books. Across from the desk was the sink where he placed his toothbrush and toothpaste inside a mug. Next to, was a mini fridge where he kept his bento. The closet was to his right and that's where he kept the boxes and his clothes. Feeling a job well done, Makoto decided to take a long overdue shower.

Feeling refreshed from the warm shower, Makoto suddenly felt hungry again. Noticing that it was past dinnertime, he took his bento and went downstairs to eat it. As he was finishing it up, the front door opened and in stepped Mitsuru.

"Oh, you're already back?"

"I had to unpack so I came back early."

"I see. So how was your first day at school?" Mitsuru asked as she sat down on an armchair.

"It was pretty much what I was expecting. Although, I was surprised to see that everything about the school seems to be of high quality."

"The school is definitely great compared to others in the country because it is funded by a wealthy organization. So I'm sure you'll greatly enjoy your stay there."

"Yes, I have a feeling that my stay will be an unforgettable one." Makoto stood up and threw away the bento at a nearby trashcan. "By the way senpai, how many are living at this dorm? It feels so empty here."

"With you, a total of four. Akihiko Sanada is the other dormmate. He's out often these days so it's quite hard to catch him. I'm sure you'll meet him soon enough."

"I see, then I think I'm going to turn in early today so goodnight, senpai."

"Goodnight Yuki." After Makoto went upstairs, Mitsuru took out a book from her bag and began reading.

* * *

**4/7/2009****: 11:53 P.M. Minatodai Dorm Lounge**

Inside the dorm lounge late at night was Mitsuru Kirijo. Completely enamored with her book about the many functions of a business, she was oblivious to her surroundings. She didn't realized that it had become so late and that it had become so cold. Lately, she had been staying up late in the lounge waiting for something. What that something was, she doesn't know. All she knew was that something was going to happen and she planned to be ready for it. With the recent arrival of THAT person, Mitsuru had something additional to do this night. She had to determine whether he could help them. If so, she could finally begin moving forward.

Feeling a little thirsty after the intense reading, Mitsuru took a sip of her freshly brewed tea. As she enjoyed the exquisite aftertaste, she heard someone walking down the stairs. Even if she didn't turn her head, she would know who that person was simply by the sound of his footsteps. Akihiko Sanada, someone who she knew very well. He was wearing his usual school uniform with a red vest over the top and his white jacket was flung over his shoulder. He had very short silver hair and there was a band-aid on the side of his forehead. It was a result of getting in too many brawls.

"I'm going out for a bit," he said as he approached her.

"You were here the whole time? You missed meeting the new dormmate. He's probably sleeping right now."

"The one who possibly has the potential?"

"That's right."

"Is that so? If it's true, then things are going to get interesting so I better be prepared." A smirk appeared on Akihiko's confident face.

"Prepared, huh…?"

"Didn't you see the newspaper? There's a lot going on." He pointed to the fold-up newspaper on the coffee table.

"I know. People who had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome. I've seen it in the news quite often lately. They say it's due to stress, but…"

"Yeah, right!" he quickly interjected, nearly pounding his fists on the table. "It has to be THEM. Otherwise it's not worth my time."

"You have a one-track mind…Will you be okay on your own? The Chairman will be here for the next few days, but after that, I can…"

"Don't worry. I'm just getting a little practice," he replied as he gave a little wave and exited the dorm.

"This isn't a game, Akihiko." Mitsuru sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. It was about time she checked up on HIM.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**** I made a mistake as to where Makoto had lived after his parents died. Hokkaido is the island while Sapporo was the city. I get those two mixed up quite a bit. I have changed it in the prior chapters and that is what it will be for subsequent chapters.**

**Thank you Code-Emperor07 and MellaTheKnightmare for your reviews.**

**To MellaTheKnightmare: All I can say is that Social Links are not set in stone. I may write a few of them, but I will definitely not include all of the Social Links that were in the game. I don't think they are particular important to the story. I'm also not sure as to how I would incorporate them as well. However, I will include "Social Links" of the party members because that would make more sense. As to how, I'll think about it.**

**To Code-Emperor07: Glad you like the angels. They will appear briefly throughout the story. They are very important to my second storyline so I can't reveal too much about them yet. **

**Lastly, Reviews are always welcome.**

* * *

**Chapter III: The Awakening**

**Wednesday 4/8/2009****: 7:55 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

The second day of school had begun and Makoto was feeling a lot better compared to the day before. He slept more than usual and he didn't have any strange dreams to further stress him out. It was a fine day indeed. As he approached the school gate in a good mood, he saw two female students talking excitedly together near the entrance. Not usually the type to eavesdrop on people's conversations, he couldn't help by listen in this time because it sounded intriguing.

"Did you hear the rumor?" The girl on the left asked.

"Oh, um…something about…a bathroom?" Her disinterested friend answered as she checked her emails on her phone.

"N-No! Not that one! I mean the one about the first-year student! Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day. If her mother tries to talk to her, she only mutters to herself, "It's coming…It's coming…!" The girl exaggeratedly acted out the last part of the rumor.

"Huh, how about that." The friend's face showed no reaction to the story. Makoto didn't know whether the friend was talking about the rumor or something that she had read in her email.

"You don't believe me?" The girl was getting irritated because of her friend's lack of interest. "It's…" Before the girl could continue, the first bell rang. "We'll continue later, but now we got to go." The girl and her friend hurried into the school building while a running Makoto was following closely behind them. As he made his way to his class, he couldn't help but think about the rumor. It seemed too farfetched to be true, but it was creepy nonetheless.

* * *

**3:05 P.M. Room 2-F**

The first full day of school had been rather uneventful for Makoto. Although he stayed awake for all of his lectures, he felt that he didn't learn anything interesting. When it was lunchtime, both Yukari and Junpei had things to do so Makoto bought fried bread at the school's vendor and ate it on the rooftop. He found the place to be very peaceful and quiet. The few students who were also there had came for similar reasons as they spent most of the time quietly enjoying the great weather without uttering a word. After eating, he felt drowsy and wanted to rest his eyes for just a bit. As he lay on the bench, he felt the comfortable warmth emitting from the sun. It wasn't long before he became too comfortable that he fell fully asleep.

After classes were over, Makoto was about to head out until he saw Junpei gingerly approaching him.

"Hey man. Just like I said yesterday, I'm going to give you a tour of Tatsumi Port Island today. You also coming?" Junpei asked Yukari who also looked like she was about to leave.

"No, I think I'll pass this time." She then turned to Makoto. "If he starts showing you the bathrooms, just ditch him and explore on your own."

"I'll keep that in mind." He answered with a grin.

"Hey, I can be a good tour guide too you know!" Junpei cried out to the retreating Yukari before turning back to face Makoto.

"So, are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, first stop, Paulownia Mall! Let's gooo!" The two noisily marched out of the classroom and ignored the other students giving them strange looks.

* * *

**3:25 P.M. Paulownia Mall**

The mall wasn't very far from the school. Located on the northern part of the island, it took about twenty minutes to walk there. Unsurprisingly, there were many students hanging around at the mall, from elementary school students to high school students. The mall itself wasn't very big, with only a few stores on the first floor and one on the second floor. The most notable attraction there appeared to be the three large fountains inside. There was one circular one in the center and two rectangular ones on both sides of the building. As Makoto looked down into one of the rectangular ones, he saw his rather stoic expression as well as hundreds of shiny coins.

"This is Paulownia Mall, a great place for both entertainment and the acquisition of unnecessary things." Junpei spread both of his arms out as if he was trying to take a hold of the entire mall. "On your left is "Club Escapade". A place for late night owls and partygoers who don't give a shit about waking up early and going somewhere in the morning."

"Do you go there often?" Makoto asked.

"Hell no, that place is also a bar so the manager will kick you out if you're underage. Plus, the music there is so loud that I can't hear myself think." Despite Junpei's warning, Makoto was curious about the place and thought that he should check out that place sometime, even if he had to sneak in.

"Right next door to the right is Chagall Café, a place for classy people who take their time drinking expensive tea."

"Not a fan of tea?"

"Nope. I prefer a fresh can of cheap cold soda. What about you?"

"If it's good, I'll drink it."

"…Man, you're so simple. I don't know why I even asked." He shook his head disappointedly. "Anyway, next is Be Blue V, the store with the strangest name. They sell accessories like watches, rings and necklaces." He then pulled on his shirt collar to reveal his silver necklace. "See this? I got this here. Worth every yen I paid for it." Makoto could see glimmering tiny red gemstones embedded inside the pendant attached to the necklace and knew that they must have cost Junpei quite a bit to buy it. "So if you ever want to be cool like me and accessorized, then you know where to go."

"Maybe I should buy a ring…" Makoto mused to himself.

"No way, you can't pull it off. You're better off with a watch or a necklace, but anyway, let's move on before you get any other weird ideas." The two then moved further into the mall. "That is the police station…Uh you probably will never need to go there unless you're getting chase by a serial killer in a hockey mask wielding a chainsaw or that you had lost something. So let's move away before we get into trouble for loitering." On the way to the next place, Makoto saw an empty passageway next to the police station.

"What's over there?" Makoto pointed to the passageway.

"Hmmm? Oh, that leads outside into a dead end," Junpei answered after he turned to where Makoto was pointing. "I don't know why that's even there. They should put some kind of store there or something."

As Junpei began walking away, Makoto's gaze lingered on the passageway and he wondered if there really was some purpose for it or that the architect had simply made a mistake. He then hurried to Junpei when he heard him talking about the next place.

"Up there is Mandragora, a karaoke place." Junpei pointed to a place up the stairs with a sign that had flashing lights. "I've been there a couple of times with some friends before and I think it's fun. We should go sometime."

"I'll just say this now…I'm tone deaf…" Makoto said with a serious expression.

"Really? Then we really have to go sometime. Let's invite Yuka-tan too!" Junpei laughed aloud as he walked away from Mandragora leaving behind Makoto who was regretting what he had just said.

"Hmmm…this is…" Junpei cupped his chin with his hand as he pondered something about the store in front of him.

"Shinshoudo Antiques…" Makoto read the sign on the store when he caught up to Junpei. "So they sell antiques here."

"I guess…I'm actually not sure because I've never been inside. It's usually closed…even now. The store didn't have the same bright and flashy colors as the ones Makoto had seen. It was painted in a very dull brown as if to repel people from entering it. There was a tiny piece of torn paper taped to the window. It said that the store would open on June 9th. "You could check what they have when it opens if you want, but now, we move onto Aohige Pharmacy. Unlike the previous store of questionable goods, this is simply a pharmacy that has medicine and remedies."

"What's that place?" Makoto pointed to the place next door. There were two large red speakers placed up on the sign.

"Can't you tell? That place is called "Power Records", and they sell music. Seeing as how you're always carrying around that mp3 player, I bet you'll really like this place. They don't sell mp3s, but you could always buy a CD and rip the songs from it to put in your player."

"I'm loving this place already." Makoto moved closer to the store and peeked inside. He saw many different albums of various music genres on display.

"So what kind of music do you like?" Makoto turned around to see a grinning Junpei.

"Rock, jazz, dance, classical, and dubstep."

"Seriously? You have interesting taste."

"What about you then?"

"Mostly pop and recently, I've became a fan of Risette."

"Risette?"

"What!" Junpei suddenly cried out. "YOU don't know who Risette is? Rise Kujikawa is a rising young idol who's taking Japan by storm. Don't you watch T.V. or read magazines?"

"Not really."

"That's too bad, you're missing out."

"If you say so…" Makoto replied with little indifference to which Junpei appeared to have been holding in his rising anger.

"…Okay, next is the last stop in the mall, Game Panic. This place is good to kill lots of time. You could either waste a lot of money and play the crane game or you could drop coins into the arcade games inside. And with that, we are done here so let's head to Port Island Station." The two began walking toward the exit until Junpei suddenly stopped. "You know, I wonder where the bathrooms are…?"

* * *

**4:10 P. Station**

After Makoto and Junpei left the mall, they backtracked and headed south until they reached Port Island Station. The entrance to one of the only exits from the island was filled with people from all ages trying to get to one place or another. There were a few white round tables for people to relax before continuing their journey. Near the center was a flower vendor who displayed an assortment of colorful flowers. To the side was the movie theatre "Screenshot".

"So I'm sure you've been here before seeing as how you probably get off at this station to get to school everyday," Junpei said as he walked towards the center of the station.

"That's true, but I always pass by the theatre without taking much notice of it."

"The theatre, huh?" The two of them walked to the front of the theatre and looked at the movie posters. The titles read, "50 Days of Marriage", "One Final Love", and "We Met, We Kissed, We Eloped." "All chick flicks…Guess I'm not going to the movies anytime soon. C'mon, let's head to Iwatodai Station. But before we go, you see that alleyway over there?" He was pointing to a dark passageway to the west of the station.

"What's over there?"

"Don't ever go there because that's where delinquents and troublemakers hang out. Especially at night, unless you want to get killed." Junpei warned Makoto as he silently moved a finger across his neck.

"Hmmm…I'll remember that."

* * *

During the train ride to Iwatodai Station, the two boys sat across from one another. As soon as they got on, Junpei had immediately begun asking Makoto questions.

"What school did you went to before going here?"

"Izumizaka High School."

"Where's that?"

"Sapporo."

"Isn't that place very cold?"

"Pretty much all year round, but winters are especially troubling. Snow piled everywhere, everything frozen, and people catching colds."

"Brrrr, I could almost feel it," Junpei said as he wrapped his arms around himself. "As for me, I came from Tokyo. Pretty close from here so it's not as cold."

"Why did you move here?"

"Oh…For family reasons…," he quietly answered. "What about you?"

"My grandpa died and the only relatives left are ones I've never met before so I decided to move back here."

"Is that so…" An awkward silence surrounded the two. Nobody said anything until Junpei saw Iwatodai Station from the window. "Oh, we're here."

As Makoto got off the train, he noticed that Iwatodai Station pretty much looked the same as when he passed through it to get to school. He could see flyers posted on the walls and some were left on the ground. There were dozens upon dozens of bicycles squeezed together on the bike racks. How people are able to locate their bicycle in that entangled mess, he would never know. Like Port Island Station, there were many people moving around the station here as well. Next to the station was a popular strip mall.

"You're probably familiar with this area as well so I'll be brief," Junpei began. "Over there is the takoyaki stand, Octopia." Makoto inhaled in the sweet and warm scent of the takoyaki as Junpei continued his tour. "On the first floor is the used bookstore, Bookworms. They have cheap used manga, amongst other things. Also on the first floor is "Wild Duck Burger". It's obvious what they have there. Its mascot is a green duck, which is weird. Then on the second floor, there is the Sweet Shop, Hagakure, and Wakatsu Restaurant. On the last floor are the Beef Bowl Shop, Umiushi and the bookstore, Book On. So this place has a lot of food establishments. A great place if you don't want to go very far for food." Junpei then turned to Makoto. "So that's pretty much it. Now that I think about it, Iwatodai isn't very big nor does it have a lot of variety."

"I think it's good for what it is," Makoto said with a nod.

"I guess." Junpei looked at a nearby clock. "It's about time I start heading home so I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

"Later then." Makoto watched as Junpei left the strip mall and began heading north. Before he left the strip mall, he bought three freshly cooked takoyaki and began eating it on a nearby bench. Because the takoyakis were so hot, he took a while before he could finish all of them. After paying his compliments to the takoyaki vendor, he headed westward to the dorm.

* * *

**4:50 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

When Makoto returned to the dorm, he was surprised to see a slender man in his thirties talking to Yukari sitting across from each other on the couches. His hair was a long wavy brown and he was wearing a beige suit and round glasses. Upon seeing Makoto enter the lounge, the two got up to greet him.

"Oh, you're back already," Yukari said.

"So he's the newest guest here," the man said. Makoto walked up to the man who began introducing himself right away. "Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki and I'm the Chairman of the Board at Gekkoukan High. Please have a seat." After the two shook hands, all three of them sat down on the couches. "I apologize about the confusion regarding your living accommodations. My secretary, even though she's a hard worker, she makes mistakes sometimes. It looks like you're going have to stay here a while longer."

"That's too bad, I kind of liked staying here. I find it very…peaceful."

"Peaceful, huh?" Ikutsuki said with a smile. "Have you met Akihiko Sanada yet?"

"Not yet."

"Is that so? It's a shame because both you and him are very skilled athletes that would probably enjoy facing each other in a match. Even though, your discipline is different from his." After noticing that Makoto wasn't going to say anything in response, Ikutsuki asked him, "Do you have any other questions for me?"

"Why are you here at the dorm," he asked because it was strange for someone important like the chairman to come visit an ordinary dorm.

"To welcome you of course!" Ikutsuki replied in a loud tone. "…Although, I actually have other business here." He then turned to Yukari. "Where is Mitsuru?"

"She's upstairs," Yukari replied as she pointed a finger to the ceiling.

"As diligent as always…Although, it doesn't hurt to come down and say hello." Ikustuki let out a sigh and turned back to Makoto. "Anyway, do you have another question?"

"Other than me, how come there is only three other people living here? The dorm is pretty big with a lot of rooms."

"That's a good question. The truth is, this dorm has only been recently opened and it is our first coed one so we're in the middle of experimenting with what works. We've selected a few "special" students to help in that." Makoto turned to look at Yukari who quickly averted her gaze.

"Then how about the staff? Who helps maintain this place?"

"Another good question. We have a special staff that comes in during the daytime while the students are at school so they aren't bothered." After it became apparent that Makoto wasn't going to ask another question, Ikutsuki continued, "Are you satisfied with what I've told you?"

"Somewhat."

"Then I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me." Ikutsuki stood up and was about to leave. "You should remember to sleep early. Like people say, "The early bird catches the bookworm! Forgive me for the bad pun." He left the dorm all the while laughing to himself.

"You'll get used to his lame jokes," Yukari said with a slightly exasperated look.

"I really hope so."

* * *

**11:58 P.M. Minatodai Dorm: 4****th**** Floor**

Watching Makoto as he slept in his room through a large monitor were Yukari and Mitsuru. They were in a room with expensive computer equipments and a few chairs and couches like the ones in the lounge. The two sat transfixed to the monitor as if they couldn't even miss a single second of observation. The room's silence was interrupted when the door opened and in walked Ikutsuki.

"So how's he doing?" He asked as he walked up to the monitor to check himself. Yukari and Mitsuru stood up to allow Ikutsuki room to view the monitor.

"He went to bed a little while ago, so he's asleep now," Mitsuru answered. "Mr. Chairman, do you think he's…?"

"Well, let's wait and see for now," Ikutsuki immediately replied. "The Dark Hour is approaching." As if waiting for Ikutsuki to finish his sentence, the sky outside turned green and an unnerving silence enveloped the room. "Hmm…he's still sleeping." Ikutsuki then turned to face the two girls. "As you know, the Dark Hour occurs everyday at midnight, the hidden hour. During this time, an ordinary person Transmogrifies into a coffin and is oblivious to everything."

"Then, he must be…" Yukari said, feeling as if she was holding her breath in anticipation before hearing an important announcement.

"Well, as you can see, he's retained his human form. He's asleep, but he's definitely experiencing the Dark Hour. But, the question is whether or not he has the potential. Although he should because if he didn't, "they" would've preyed on him by now. In any case, we should just continue to monitor him for a few more days."

"Yes, sir," Mitsuru said.

"I feel kinda bad though, spying on him like this." Yukari said softly.

"Takeba…" Mitsuru said with a similar look of guilt on her face as Yukari had.

"I know it's wrong, but we must do this," Ikutsuki said with a look of strong resolution. "If he has the potential, then it will all be worth it in the end."

"I guess…" Yukari said, her face revealing that she didn't feel any better.

"Well, keep up the good work. It's time for me to leave." Ikutsuki gave a wave and left the room leaving Yukari and Mitsuru in awkward silence.

* * *

**4/9/2009**** ?**

Once again, Makoto found himself standing in front of a strange door. He was quite sure that he was in a dream because he felt that while he was standing in front of the door, he wasn't really physically there. If he would happen to lose his concentration, then he would probably disappear. Like before in the previous dream, there is darkness all around except for the blue door. However, unlike the red door, this door didn't emit the same dreaded feeling. Nonetheless, the door beckoned him to open it and that's what he did.

From the darkness, Makoto stepped into a room filled with blue colors. On the walls were flashes of white light that quickly moved upward in a continuous motion. It was as if he was in a very large elevator in an infinite descent. Near the top was a golden clock whose hands were consistently moving. In the middle of the room were a large round blue table and a chair. A short old man in a black suit was sitting down on the other side of the table with a joyful expression on his face. He looked human, except for the fact that his nose was a few inches too long.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man." The man motioned for Makoto to sit down on the chair. Feeling like his life wasn't at risk, Makoto decided to sit down and listened to what the old man had to say. "Greetings, my name is Igor and I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This is Elizabeth and she's a resident here, like myself." Igor motioned to the woman standing next to him.

"Pleased to meet you," she said, her yellow cat-like eyes were smiling at him. She looked to be in her early twenties with a slender body despite what her short white hair would have indicated otherwise. She was dressed in a retro blue dress and a small blue hat. Her outfit made her looked like the elevator girls he sometimes saw in classy hotels. In her hand was a large brown book. Makoto could sense some kind of power emitting from it.

"You said this is the Velvet Room, but where exactly is this place?" Makoto asked Igor.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It's been years since we've had a guest so forgive me if I'm acting a little too overjoyed." Igor's response didn't really answered Makoto's question, but he accepted it anyway because he wasn't expecting a logical answer. Igor then suddenly waved his hands and a red notebook appeared on the table. Makoto quickly realized that it looked like the contract he signed when he entered the dorm. "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only asked one thing in return, that you abide by the contract and assume responsibility for the choices that you make."

Makoto felt his head hurt as a million questions began swirling around in his mind. Noticing his turmoil, Igor snapped his fingers and a golden key appeared out of thin air and slowly descended into Makoto's palm.

"Hold on to this," Igor said. "I know you have a lot of questions that you want to ask, but let's save it for another time. Until we meet again…"

"Wait…" Before Makoto could finish his sentence, everything faded into white.

* * *

**Thursday 4/9/2009****10:00 A.M. Room 2-F**

Teaching Classical Literature was Ekoda-sensei. He was wearing a charcoal colored suit and he appeared to be a man in his early thirties. His fervent interest in Classical Japanese Literature was apparent as he talked about the "Ise Monogatari", the origin of Japanese of Literature. As Ekoda-sensei continued his lecture, Makoto couldn't completely pay attention because he was trying to recall the remnants of his dream. However, he couldn't remember much even when school had later ended and he had returned home.

* * *

**4/9/2009**** Dark Hour: Alley in Iwatodai**

As the people of Iwatodai remained frozen in their coffins during the Dark Hour, a sole individual was moving through the city to train his abilities. Akihiko Sanada was in an alley, a few blocks from Minatodai Dorm. Lights from nearby buildings brightened the area, giving Akihiko a clear sight of the prey he had come to kill. These monsters of black glob had on white masks with two holes and were huddled together blocking Akihiko's exit from the alley.

Without saying anything, Akihiko dashed forward and delivered three quick punches to the monsters. His attack was so strong that the monsters had instantly died and withered into nothing.

"Weak, they are too weak," he said as he balled his hand into a fist and examined it. There were only minor scratches on it. "I didn't even have to use my "power" to defeat them. If I want to get stronger, then I need a much stronger opponent." As he was about to leave the alley, he felt a large mass fall down behind him. He quickly turned around and before he was able to react, a black arm swung at him and knocked him into the wall. Because he didn't have time to put up his guard, he took the full impact of the blow. A sharp pain spread throughout his left arm as he felt a crack in the bone.

"Damn, what the hell was that?" Deciding that it was better to regroup then to fight the monster head on, Akihiko struggled to get up on his feet. He saw the monster swung its arm again, but he was able to evade it by an inch. "Shit, that was close!" As he made his way back to the dorm, he took out an object that looked like a transceiver. In his condition, there was no way he could defeat the monster. He needed help.

* * *

**Dark Hour: Minatodai Dorm 4****th**** Floor**

Oblivious to Akihiko's predicament, Yukari and Mitsuru were once again sitting in front of the monitor and watching Makoto sleep.

"How is he?" Ikutsuki asked from where he was sitting on the couch.

"The same as last night," Mitsuru answered. "Sleeping peacefully…with a little drool on his face."

"Hmm, very interesting. Even those who have the potential tend to be unstable at first. Memory loss, disorientation…but this subject is rather unique. He hasn't exhibited any of the common symptoms."

"But, we're treating him like a guinea pig," Yukari said as she suddenly stood up.

"Like I said yesterday, I understand your concern, but it's imperative that we recruit new members. I heard he's your classmate so wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade?"

"Yeah, I guess…but, still…" A button began beeping on the panel, interrupting Yukari's protest. Mitsuru pressed the glowing button on the panel.

"Command room…is that you, Akihiko?" Mitsuru sounded alarm because it was unusual for Akihiko to call the dorm during his training.

"You're not gonna believe this…" The three in the room were able to hear Akihiko's voice through the static in the transmission. "This thing is huge…Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk…It's chasing me…I wanted to let you guys know. I'm almost there." The transmission then turned off.

"Does that mean…he's bringing that thing here?" Yukari was visibly stressed out about Akihiko's call.

"Mr. Chairman!" Mitsuru shouted in a loud commandeering voice. "Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!"

"R-Right! Be careful!" The three then headed out of the door and downstairs.

* * *

Feeling the most fatigued he had ever been in a long time, Akihiko hastily entered the dorm and closed the door behind him. He then slumped down with his back to the door as his energy began leaving his body.

"Akihiko!' Mitsuru shouted as she reached the lounge and saw Akihiko by the door. She could see that he was greatly perspiring and didn't look like he has any energy left to stand up.

"Agh!" He winced and grabbed his left arm, as there was no more adrenaline to block out the pain from his arm.

"Senpai?" Yukari went closer to Akihiko so she could get a better look at his injuries.

"I'm alright." He said as he quickly waved her away. "But get ready to be surprised, it'll be here any second." He let out a soft laugh.

"This is no time to joke around!" Misuru's worry had begun to be replaced with irritation.

"Is it one of "them", Akihiko?" Ikutsuki asked.

"Yes, but not an ordinary one-" He was cut short as the ground suddenly shook violently threatening to knock everyone in the room off their feet.

"Ahh!" Yukari screamed as she grabbed onto the counter. "What the? You've gotta be kidding me!" She suddenly realized that the monster chasing Akihiko was the one who caused the shaking. Mitsuru then took out the pistol from the white holster on her hip.

"Mr. Chairman, please head for the command room! Takeba, go upstairs and wake Yuki up! Then escape out the back."

"But, what about you two?"

"We'll stop it here. You led it to us, Akihiko, so I'm afraid you'll have to fight."

"Like I had a choice!" Akihiko shouted as he got up on his feet. Noticing that Yukari hadn't moved from her spot, he shouted, "What are you waiting for, Yukari? Go!"

"O-Okay, I'm going now." Yukari then quickly ran up the stairs.

* * *

Whether Makoto was having a normal dream or another mysterious dream, he didn't know as he was abruptly woken by the shaking. After wiping the drool on his face, he decided to go downstairs to check on the commotion. Before he got to the door, he heard someone knocking on it along with Yukari's voice.

"Makoto-kun! Wake up! Sorry, but I'm coming in!" Yukari opened the door and walked into the room while holding a slightly bent steel pipe. He could see that she was sweating and that she was agitated.

"What's going on," he asked as he felt his heartbeat began to speed up.

"I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!" She grabbed his hand and began to pull him away before the building began to shake again. "Hurry downstairs! We'll leave through the back door. But take this, just in case." She handed him the steel pipe.

"Uh, where'd you get this?"

"From the closet, so now let's go!" The two ran downstairs and headed toward the backdoor behind the dining table. "Alright, we should be safe now." Yukari's transceiver began beeping so she pressed a button and held it to her ear. "Senpai?"

"Takeba, do you read me?" Makoto could scarcely hear Mitsuru's voice.

"Y-Yes, I hear you!"

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

"WHAT!" Yukari screamed into the transceiver. Makoto moved away from the door when he heard something loudly banging on the back door. It looked like it would break down any second.

"What's going on!"

Yukari gasped and said, "Let's pull back!" Realizing that the monsters were outside of both the front and back doors, she decided they had to go up so she ran back up the stairs and Makoto quickly followed her.

As he ran upstairs, Makoto could feel his adrenaline running wildly in his body. Rather than feeling scared, he was somewhat anxious to meet with whatever were spooking Yukari and Mitsuru. Without realizing it, he was gripping his hand tighter over the pipe.

When the two reached the top floor, they went through the rooftop exit and then Yukari locked the door behind them. Makoto could see the same strange green the sky had become when he first went to the dorm. The eerie glowing green full moon in the sky clearly illuminated the rooftop and he could see tiny specks of red liquid around the ground. He wondered if Yukari could see the same thing as he did. Yukari however didn't say anything about the sky as she deeply exhaled and tried to catch her breath.

"I think we're okay for now-." They quickly turned around when they heard something groaning as it moved up the building. Then they saw it, a large monster of black mass about fifteen feet tall and wide. The creature was composed of many interconnecting hands. One of the hands was holding a dark blue mask with two eyes and a mouth carved in. It looked like something from an alien film. When it had spotted them, its hands reached into itself and pulled out long sharp blades.

"These monsters, we call them Shadows," Yukari explained as she noticed the monster getting closer. She took out the gun in her holster and pointed it upward to her chin. Sweat began pouring down her face as her hands shook violently. Makoto thought she was going to shoot herself, but it looked like she was planning to do something else. Unsure of what to do, he just stood there and waited for her to do or say something.

However, because of Yukari's hesitation, she was unable to evade the glowing energy columns that rose from the ground. The attack threw her across the roof and the gun fell out of her hands and landed nearby Makoto's feet. The creature then turned its attention to Makoto and began moving toward him. He gripped the pipe and was about to enter into a fighting stance until he heard a familiar mysterious voice echoing inside his head.

"Go on, use it." Makoto turned to the fallen gun and felt something drawing him to it. Unable to control his body, he dropped the pipe and grabbed the gun.

* * *

**Minatodai Dorm 4****th**** Floor**

After Mitsuru and Akihiko dispatched the Shadow outside the front door, they and Ikutsuki headed to the 4th Floor Command Room. Akihiko scanned all of the monitors until he saw one with footage of Makoto and the other Shadow.

"They're on the roof! Let's go."

"Wait!" Ikutsuki shouted for them to stop and pointed at the monitor. "Something is about to happen."

* * *

**Minatodai Dorm Rooftop**

Makoto raised the gun to his temple. His heart was pounding louder and louder, quicker and quicker. He somehow knew that if he pulled the trigger, he wouldn't die, but something else would happen. He didn't know what that something was, but he felt that he had to do it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to stop the dangerous creature in front of him. Then, he suddenly calmed down and said with a smile, the word that appeared in his mind.

"Per…so…na!" Makoto pulled the trigger and shards of light began to envelop his body. He felt a powerful energy taking shape outside his body so he looked up and saw a person with white hair and a mechanical body wearing a red scarf. His face was very dark except for his glowing red eyes and he was carrying a lyre on his back.

"Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, Master of Strings!" The person spoke in a loud echoing voice that seemed to resonate with something within Makoto. Then all of a sudden, Makoto grabbed his head as a violent pain spread throughout his head.

As if feeling his pain, Orpheus screamed in agony as a red beam of light shot out of Orpheus' mouth. A black hand reached out of his body and pulled Orpheus' body apart. Then, another larger and more frightening creature took his place. It was wearing a long black robe and had long white gloves on. Many small coffins were connected with a chain that attached to the creature's back. On his head was a large metallic mask that looked like a skull. The way the mask opened in the middle made it look like it had a sinister grin.

After letting out a ghastly wail, the creature took out a sword and lunged at the Shadow. The creature began hacking at the Shadow with the sword in one hand and used its other hand to pull out pieces of the Shadow. Every time the Shadow lost an arm, it cried out in anguish. As the creature continued to attack the Shadow, Makoto could feel a powerful surge of energy circulating from within his body. He never felt more powerful than he did that moment. However, the rush didn't last long as the creature ended the assault with one clean cut that sliced off the Shadow's mask. It then grabbed the Shadow's remnants and squeezed it until it disappeared into the air.

With one final wail, the creature floated up into the sky and disappeared, leaving behind the image of Orpheus. Makoto felt the powerful surge of energy disappear from his body as well, but could still feel a different energy emitting from Orpheus.

"Is it over?" Yukari quietly asked after she had gotten back on her feet and walked toward Makoto. She however stopped when she saw a few smaller Shadows appeared and moving toward them.

"Step back," Makoto ordered as he raised his right arm to bar Yukari from moving forward. "Let me take care of this."

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"…Yeah, I think I got it." He picked up the steel pipe and began moving into his fighting stance. With his back straight, one foot forward, hands holding the pipe tightly toward the Shadows, he yelled, "Orpheus, Attack!" Orpheus' hands glowed red with fire and then he threw the hot fireballs at the Shadows on the left, burning them. He then moved closer in and bashed them on the head with his lyre. By then, the group of Shadows on the right was already charging Makoto.

"Hah!" Makoto struck the approaching Shadow on the head with lightning speed. He evaded the next incoming attack and counterattacked with another powerful strike. With only one Shadow left, he jumped high into the air and delivered the finishing downward strike to the Shadow's head. The battle then finally ended.

Makoto looked at the pipe in his hand and recalled the battle he just had. It had been a long time since he felt the same kind of adrenaline rush. He thought he had lost the feeling, but it had been there the whole time waiting to be released. "Ha ha ha," he let out a laugh before everything became black and he collapsed because of his fatigued. Orpheus had disappeared as well.

"Makoto-kun!" Yukari screamed as she ran toward him. "Are you okay? C'mon wake up…Say something!" She was worried that he had died, but she became relieved once she heard the quiet beating of his heart. "You idiot…scaring me like that."

* * *

**Minatodai Dorm 4****th**** Floor Command Room**

"What on earth was that?" Akihiko had left his mouth hanging open as he watched what had transpired through the monitor. "Was that even a Persona or was that some sort of monster?"

"I-I'm not even sure," Mitsuru replied. "We've never seen anything like that before… But in any case, we should go check up on them."

"Yeah, let's go." The two ran out of the room leaving behind Ikutsuki who continued to watch the monitor. A small smile appeared on his face.

* * *

**The Rooftop across Minatodai Dorm**

Mitsuru, Akihiko and Ikutsuki weren't the only ones watching Makoto's battle with the large Shadow. Four angels were standing on the rooftop of a nearby building and they too were also shocked at what they had seen.

"Just what is going here?" The blue haired angel asked to no one in particular. "What is the son of the Night Queen doing there?"

"That would explain the darkness in the boy," the green haired angel said. "What should we do about the problem?"

"Let's strike him down now," the red haired angel replied. "It would be a problem if we leave him freely roaming around. There is no guarantee that he is the one we're looking for."

"No," the golden haired angel commanded in a deep voice. "This is the closest we've been in our quest; I'm not going to let it end that easily. Besides, I sense someone is manipulating things behind the scenes."

"Manipulating? Who?" The blue haired angel asked. "…Wait, could it be "them"?" The other angels suddenly looked alarmed.

"There is a possibility that it is "them"," the golden haired angel answered. "If it is, we can't take any drastic actions because we are not in a state to deal with "them"."

"Should we continue to observe the boy?" The green haired angel asked.

"Yes." The four angels then disappeared.

* * *

**? Velvet Room**

Makoto suddenly found himself inside the Velvet Room, sitting on a chair facing Igor. His memory of his prior visit along with the other strange dream had quickly come back to him.

"It's so nice to see you again. You became unconscious after awakening to your "power." It's nothing to worry about, though. So, just relax. By the way, I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called a Persona, a manifestation of your psyche."

"Persona? I don't understand what you're talking about."

"It may take some time to fully comprehend. A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli. You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships. That being said, your power is still weak."

"What do you mean by "weak"?"

"For a Persona ability to grow, you must develop your inner strength, which includes gaining a good understanding of your true self."

"Understanding myself…" Makoto muttered.

"You'll understand as time goes by," Igor said with a smile. "For now, do you have any questions for me?"

"…This isn't a dream right?" Makoto asked after he thought for a moment.

"That's right."

"Then that contract I signed, I thought that was an illusion."

"That was no illusion, that was real…Although, it may considered to be not real from an ordinary person's perspective." Igor let out a laugh.

"I have this other dream where there was a red door and a man in a wheelchair. What about that other place and the man in the wheelchair?" For a moment, Makoto thought he saw Igor's eyebrows rose up in response.

"I don't know this man in the wheelchair, but if the place you went to was like this world, then that was likely real as well."

"Is that so…" Makoto looked down and tried to understand what exactly these mysterious places are.

"By the way, I failed to disclosed something to you on your prior visit. Every person has one destiny in life; however, I could see that you have multiple destinies all leading to completely different outcomes."

"Such as…"

"I'm sorry, but it's not my place to tell you what they are. It is for you to find out. And I will be looking forward to when you choose one. Unlike my previous guests, you have another special power other than the power of Persona. That power can create infinite possibilities."

"I'm guessing you won't tell me what that power is?"

"You are correct young man," Igor replied as he let out a laugh. "Now then, time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time you will come here of your own accord. Until then, farewell." Everything then faded white and disappeared.

* * *

**A/N**** The "Prologue" Arc of P3 is finally done. Next is the First Full Moon Arc.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV: S.E.E.S.**

**Wednesday 4/15/2009**** 11:57 P.M. A Convenience Store in Iwatodai**

Junpei had always felt that his life was boring. Everyday he woke up and went to school. He sometimes hanged out with his friends after school and then he would go home, eat, and then sleep. The cycle would then continue the next day and then the day after that. His life may have been interesting if he was good at something; however, he wasn't. School, sports, everything he tried, he had failed. Without being able to contribute anything to society, he often wondered what the point of his life was.

Real life wasn't like the ones in the manga he read or seen on T.V. There wasn't any evil organization or person trying to destroy the world. There wasn't people with special powers that could stop these evil people. There were no superheroes. The people in those media had a clearly defined purpose to their lives. If he were like them, then someone like him too would have a purpose. However, real life just doesn't work that way. For many years, he had continued to believe that, until that faithful night where everything changed for him. It was when he found a purpose and when he finally felt alive.

On that evening, he was at a nearby convenience store late at night. He was feeling hungry, but he didn't want to eat what was left at home. After perusing the store for a few minutes, he settled on a bowl of instant ramen. As he headed to the cashier to check out, the lights suddenly turned off and the place instantly became pitch black. The air became thick and heavy. Outside the window, he could see that the sky had become a murky green. There were also very large coffins standing straight up. It was as if he was in a graveyard or that he had been transported into the world of the dead. He rubbed his eyes and hoped that he was just seeing things. However, it was in fact reality.

"Hello, is anyone there?" Junpei shouted through the darkness, hoping that someone else was there to help him out and that he wasn't alone in this nightmare. His hope was in vain, as the only sound he could hear was the deafening silence. He stretched his arms out and began moving forward to the exit. After stumbling over a few fallen things, he encountered something large and hard blocking his path. After a few seconds, his eyes had finally adjusted in the darkness and he saw a large black object in front of him.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh," he screamed in terror as he realized that the object was like the coffins he'd seen outside. "Oh god, what the hell is happening here?" He quietly whimpered after he fell down on his behind. He then began crawling backwards away from the coffin until he heard a wet slurping noise from behind. Quickly turning around, he saw another strange black object moving around the convenience store. It sounded like someone was pushing a large pile of sludge. When it saw Junpei, it turned around and he could see the bizarre white mask on its body. With outstretched hands, the creature moved toward Junpei who had begun fleeing to the back of the store.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" It didn't take long for Junpei to run into the rear wall. He was about to move to another wall, but he saw more of the creatures coming at him from the other directions. There was nowhere left to run. He could probably try to attack the creatures, but he was so afraid that his mind shut down and he was only acting on instinct. He slid down the wall and covered his head with his arms. He closed his eyes as his teeth chattered loudly. His body shook uncontrollably. His heart beat so fast that he felt like it would explode any second. The only conclusion in his mind was that he was going to die. However, his mind grasped onto a small sliver of hope that he would get out alive.

"Somebody! Anybody! Help me!" He screamed with all his might hoping that somebody can hear him.

"Polydeuces, shock em," A young man's voice rang throughout the room. Junpei then heard the loud crackling of static electricity as it struck something in front of him. Then he heard the electricity striking something else and then another thing. A few seconds later, it had become as quiet as before. He could smell something like smoke spreading around the store. "Hey, are you alright-"

At the sound of the voice, Junpei felt his heart jumping for joy and his body calming down. The voice sounded like music to his ears. He slowly opened his eyes and saw his savior standing in front of him with a confused look on his face. He had short silver hair and he was wearing a red vest over his Gekkoukan High uniform. His arm was noticeably in a cast. The person who had saved him was Akihiko Sanada, the captain of the boxing club. The dark creatures that were after Junpei were no longer there. All that were left were a few cracks in the floor. Junpei wiped the tears that he'd unconsciously shed and said, "I don't know how you did it, but…you sav-."

"What is that light?" He was pointing to Junpei's head. Confused, he looked at a nearby mirror and saw that his head was glowing a whitish blue before disappearing.

"W-What the hell was that!" He rubbed his head a few times to make sure it was all right.

"…Hmmm, you may have the potential…" There was a hint of excitement in his tone.

"P-Potential? What do you mean?" Akihiko didn't answer him for a few seconds and continued thinking to himself.

"What's your name?"

"Uh…Junpei Iori."

"You go to Gekkoukan High as well, right?"

"Yeah."

"…Okay, I and a few others have a special power that we used to fight the monsters that you'd just seen. I think you have that power too. So, I'd like it if you join our group to help us fight these monsters. How about it?"

"Me? A power like yours?" Junpei suddenly realized that his secret dream to become someone important like a hero could possibly be achieved. If he had that same power, then he could use it to stop the evil monsters that terrorized the city. His dream was within reached and all he had to do was say "yes." The fear that he had experienced just moments earlier had vanished leaving behind his usual energetic attitude. "Hell yes, I'd like to join you guys."

"Are you sure? Don't you want to at least think about it? You could get killed you know?"

"No. I've made up my mind. There has never been an easier decision made."

"Well, okay then." Akihiko was feeling a little uncertain about inviting Junpei.

"So senpai, who are the other members," Junpei asked. He was feeling more excited as the seconds ticked by.

"First is the third year, Mitsuru Kirijo."

"THE Mitsuru Kirijo?"

"A second year, Yukari Takeba."

"Yuka-tan? Unbelievable!"

"Last is second year, Makoto Yuki."

"Seriously? He just transferred here and now he's part of the group?" Junpei's eyes looked like they were about to fall out of its socket because he was surprised that right under his nose the whole time, there was such a big secret going on.

"Well, he just recently woken to his power, but he hasn't officially joined yet."

"Ah, I see…Is that why he's in the hospital? Something to do with his power?"

"That's right."

"So that's what happened. I knew it couldn't be food poisoning." Junpei nodded to himself.

"Food poisoning?...Oh right, the "story"…Anyway, when you get to school tomorrow, don't tell anyone about what happened here until I say so. Even to the other members. You got that? It's all procedures."

"My lips are sealed." Junpei closed his mouth and moved his finger across it.

"I'll tell you more about what we do when you officially join. So I guess now I'll take you home where it's safe." Akihiko looked around to see if any more Shadows were nearby.

"Okay…By the way senpai, did one of those creatures gave you that injury?" Junpei pointed to Akihiko's cast.

"Yeah. So if you're thinking it's all going to be fun and games, don't. What we do is dangerous so remember that."

"Got it, senpai."

* * *

**Friday 4/17/2009**** 5:36 P.M. Tatsumi Memorial Hospital**

"Ugghh…" Makoto softly groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to a blurry white room. While he waited for his vision to adjust, he placed a hand to his forehead because he had a slight migraine. His body was fatigued as if he had run a marathon and back. When his eyesight became clear, he could see that he was lying on a bed in a small room. The window to his left was opened and the white clear curtains fluttered as a breeze blew through the room. Adjacent to the bed was a machine of sort that showed his vital signs. The room smelled like chemicals in a science lab. If he had to guess, he was in a hospital.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he did recall his visit to the Velvet Room and his battle with a large monster. Shadows, is what Yukari had called it and he had used a special power to defeat it.

"…Persona," he softly said. There was a click at the door and he saw Yukari walked in, her melancholy face quickly brightened when she saw him.

"You're awake! Um, how do you feel?" She sat down on a small chair beside the bed and Makoto sat up.

"A little tired, but nothing too serious. Is this a hospital?"

"Thank goodness you're all right. And yes, this is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's just a short walk from the station. But seriously, you slept for a whole week! I was so worried that you fallen into a coma. The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were exhausted, but you kept sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried I was?" She didn't look like she was worried. Rather, she looked quite vexed.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I guess I just found it very relaxing when I was asleep so I didn't want to wake up." He let out a laugh as he scratched his head.

"That's not funny you know." She raised her fist near Makoto's head. "Or do you want me to send you off to another week long sleep?"

"N-No, I think I had enough of sleeping for now." He shifted a few inches away from her. "But, to think a week has already passed…Wait, what about school? I missed out on lectures!"

"Don't you have more important things to worry about?" She let out a sigh and said, "I'll let you copy my notes so don't worry about it."

"Ah, thanks." He looked around the room, searching for nothing in particular. "By the way, why are you here?"

"Why? You saved my life, you know…so I couldn't just leave you here."

"You make it sound like I'm in prison," he joked. Although, he did find it surprising that she was that worried about him. They had only known each other for a few days.

"Um, I'm sorry!" Yukari suddenly bowed her head. "I couldn't do anything that time. Even though I was supposed to protect you, I…"

"It's fine. Everything worked out for the better didn't it?"

"Yeah, but still…" The two didn't say anything for a while and the gap between them suddenly became awkward.

"So…those things, they're called Shadows?" Makoto asked after he felt the silence had gone on too long.

"Huh? Yeah. They're what we're fighting against. And the power that you used, we call it "Persona." Makoto recalled Igor talking about Personas as well.

"When you say "we", do you mean Kirijo-senpai, Akihiko-senpai, and Ikutsuki-san?"

"Yeah, but we'll explain everything later so don't worry too much about it now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

"Well that explains a lot of the strange suspicious things I noticed on the first day."

"Heh, heh," she laughed as she recalled how she and the others tried to cast away suspicion. She then remembered something important that had been gnawing at her the whole week. "I, uh…I also wanted to tell you that, I'm sorta like you."

"What do you mean?"

"The truth is, my dad died in an accident when I was little…And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms. You're all alone too, right? To be honest, I already know about your past…but it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine." She paused for a moment before continuing. "It was back in 1999 when there was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened. He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

"Kirijo? As in Kirijo-senpai's…"

"That's right. So, I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High and why I was there when this happened to you. Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help. It was my first time fighting them, too. I'm sorry…You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward…" She looked a little gloomy after telling her story.

"Don't worry about it. It's perfectly understandable of what happened to you." He tried to raise her spirits up, if only a little.

"Thanks, but still…" She deeply exhaled before continuing. "And here I'm telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself, "I've been hiding so many things from him. As soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth." So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time." She suddenly felt a little embarrassed for sharing her personal information.

"Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. Take it easy, okay? Be a good patient and don't hesitate to call the nurse. I'm sure she'll take good care of you." She stood up from her chair and headed to the door. "Bye."

As Makoto watch Yukari leave, he saw that she had a large smile on her face, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. He realized that she was a very caring and sincere person who had a difficult time hiding things from others. The more he descended deeper into this world of Personas, Shadows, and Mysterious Dreams, the only person who he could probably trust was she.

"Before I leave, are you hungry?" Yukari suddenly returned. "I could get you something if you like."

"…Takoyaki."

* * *

**Saturday 4/18/2009**** 6:50 A.M. Makoto's Room**

Yesterday, Makoto was discharged from the hospital and he returned to the dorm at 9:00 P.M. Now, he was about to head to school when he heard a knock at the door.

"Hey, it's me," Yukari said. He went to open the door for her. "Morning, you seem to be doing pretty well."

"I actually feel a lot better," he said as he stretched his arms.

"That's good to hear. I don't have morning practice today so let's walk to school together. I don't want you to suddenly collapse on your way to school without anyone to drag your body to the hospital."

"Thanks for your concern," he chuckled. "My mind is at ease." They then left the dorm and boarded the train to school.

* * *

**7:40 A. School Front Gates**

After the two passed the front gates, Yukari said, "Oh, before I forget, Ikutsuki-san wants to talk to you today. Come to the 4th Floor of the dorm after school today, okay? Don't forget."

"Okay." As Makoto neared the building's entrance, he saw Junpei approaching him.

"Hey Makoto, glad to see you're back and all healthy again. Man, to get food poisoning in your first week of your transfer…" Junpei shook his head with a sorrow expression on his face.

"What?" Makoto had no idea where the food poisoning came from. He looked at Yukari who gave him a shrug and an apologetic smile before running into the building.

"When you were in the hospital and unconscious due to the medication, I visited you a few times," Junpei continued. "I was so surprised, you'd look…dead. I poked you a few times to make sure you weren't."

"Thanks for…worrying about me, I guess."

"No problem man. Although, I heard Yuka-tan visited you everyday." A mischievous smile appeared on Junpei's face.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Ohhh, nothing. Nothing at all." They walked into the school building and stopped at the shoe lockers. "Remember when I said that this school year was going to be great?" Makoto could vaguely remember him saying something along those lines on the first day.

"…Sure," Makoto replied as he grabbed his slippers. "Why? Did something "great" happened?"

"Yes! Something…did…happen," Junpei slowly answered. It looked like he wasn't able to contain himself any longer. "But, I'm not supposed to say anything about it." He looked very disappointed.

"What's up with that?" Makoto was now a little curious about what happened to Junpei.

"Sorry, I REALLY want to tell you, but you'll know soon anyway. So until then, let your anticipation build up." Junpei ran upstairs leaving behind a slightly confused Makoto.

* * *

**10:00 A.M. Class 2-F**

The teacher in charge of Japanese History was Ono-sensei. He would have been an ordinary teacher in his thirties wearing a checkered beige suit, if not for the large samurai helmet he was wearing. During the lecture, Ono-sensei talked about the Stone Age. However, he made his dissatisfaction of the topic quite clear when he kept grumbling about how he wanted to talk about the Sengoku Era. With that in mind, Makoto believed that the helmet was a replica of Masamune Date's helmet, which belonged to a famous general during that period and was popularly known to have a special crescent helmet.

Makoto felt that Ono-sensei's enthusiasm was infectious and he became curious about the Sengoku period as well. He turned to Junpei to see how he was feeling about the lecture. Unsurprisingly, Junpei had his head on the desk and mumbling something about "special powers." Makoto didn't want to bother him so he just left him there dreaming about who knows what.

* * *

**4:05 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

Remembering that Yukari told him to return to the dorm early, he immediately left school with her and headed to the dorm. When they got there, there was no one waiting for them in the lounge.

"Let's go up to the 4th floor," she said. They went upstairs to the 4th floor and entered the large room. Inside, Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Ikutsuki were already there waiting for them on the couches.

"Ah, there you are," Ikutsuki stood up and greeted the two. "I'm glad that you're okay. The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you. Please, have a seat." He motioned to the couch opposite of him. After Makoto sat down, he noticed a large silver briefcase on the table. "Oh, I believe that you haven't met Akihiko yet. Well, he's finally here." He motioned to Akihiko who was sitting next to him.

"Hey." Akihiko gave Makoto a simplistic greeting to which he nodded his head in reply.

"Okay, let me start off by asking you this, would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

"Yes." Makoto bluntly answered. His response was apparently unexpected as the other people in the room were staring at him with large wide eyes.

"Seriously?" Akihiko said.

"After that day, I feel like I can believe in anything." Makoto didn't mention how he experienced many supernatural things in his life and had grown used to it.

"W-Well, then this might make it a lot easier then," Ikutsuki said. "As I was saying, the day consists of more than 24 hours, one more hour to be precise. It occurs everyday after midnight."

"Do you remember the night you came here?" Mitsuru interjected. "You saw how electronics weren't working; large coffins were everywhere, the people disappeared, and the sky glowed green. That's the Dark Hour."

"I did remember seeing those things," Makoto said. "Although, I thought I was hallucinating due to my fatigue."

"Those weren't hallucinations," Mitsuru continued. "The Dark Hour is very real as you and I. Otherwise, everyone in this room is crazy too." Mitsuru smiled at her joke.

Knowing that other people had seen what he did on that day, made Makoto feel a lot better. It showed that he wasn't completely mental. Although, he still questioned some of the other weird things that had happened to him. Such as, the strange boy, the contract, the old man in the wheelchair, and the Velvet Room. He was sure that these people wouldn't know anything about those things so he didn't bring it up.

"The Dark Hour will happen tonight, and every night to come," Ikutsuki said.

"Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping in their coffins." Akihiko said.

"Wait, _people_ are in those things?" Makoto asked, suddenly realizing why he didn't see anybody during that time.

"That's right," Akihiko answered. "When the Dark Hour arrives, people will transmogrify into coffins. But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. You saw those creatures, we call them "Shadows." They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone not in a coffin. It's our job to defeat them, sounds exciting, huh?"

Akihiko had a large smile on his face as he happily explained the Shadows. Even though Makoto had only briefly met Akihiko, he already figured that Akihiko was like an athlete who enjoyed challenges. To Makoto, the feeling wasn't foreign at all. He had felt it years ago and the event a week ago had revitalized that feeling.

"Akihiko! Why are you always like that?" Mitsuru shouted as she shot out of her chair. "You just got hurt the other day." She was giving Akihiko some kind of death glare.

"Now, now. Despite his words, Akihiko knows quite well how dangerous is our work and he understands the importance of a person's life." Ikutsuki took a step forward and fanned his hands as if to "cool" Mitsuru off. Her expression quickly returned to normal and she sat down before Ikutsuki continued, "So long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, S.E.E.S. for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club, but in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows. Mitsuru is the leader and I'm the club advisor."

After learning the existence and identity of this group, Makoto felt like he had somehow fallen into an anime or a video game. If he didn't witness the many strange things that happened since he came to Iwatodai, he'd probably thought they were the crazy ones.

"What are these Shadows?" Makoto asked.

"We don't really know what they are, just what we had told you." Ikutsuki answered.

"We also know that a Shadow feeds on the mind of its prey and the victim becomes a living corpse," Mitsuru added. "They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them." Makoto did recall hearing something about how people were falling into strange conditions where they utter unintelligible things. It must be what Mitsuru had just mentioned.

"What about people turning into coffins during the Dark Hour? Why does that happen?"

"That too, we don't really know." Ikutsuki gave Makoto an apologetic look.

"Then you don't know why some people are immune to becoming coffins?"

"I don't know _why_ some people are immune. I just know that there are rare instances where some can function during the Dark Hour such as me. These types of people are the ones who are attack by the Shadows. Then there are some who awaken to a power, which could be use to fight the Shadows. The power of "Persona", the power your fellow schoolmates here and the power you used the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users…Well, not really. It's because you are the only ones with "power" that are awake during the Dark Hour. So, only S.E.E.S. could take on the job."

Makoto closed his eyes and digested the extensive information he received. He had already heard a lot about "Personas" from Igor so he easily understood that part. Regarding the Shadows, there were many questions left that needed to be answered. He doubted that anyone here knew much about the Shadows.

"One last question, I'm assuming the Dark Hour only occurs in this city, so why is that?" Makoto asked after he opened his eyes.

"Unfortunately we don't really know why…" Ikutsuki trailed off as he gave a look to Mitsuru. Makoto saw that Mitsuru looked like she was distracted about something. It was apparent to him that they were keeping something from him. He got the feeling that they would continue to avoid giving him a direct answer so he filed it somewhere in his mind to ask about it later.

"I think I understand the general idea," Makoto said.

"I'm glad you're quick to understand," Ikutsuki said. "I was afraid we'd be here all night trying to explain." Mitsuru then stood up and opened the briefcase on the table. Makoto had forgotten that it was there while he listened to Ikutsuki's explanation. Inside the briefcase was a pistol that was similar to the "toy" gun Yukari had.

"I think you know the reason we called you here other than to explain the situation," Mitsuru said. "We're short on members and we would really appreciate it if you join us. We've even prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like you to lend us your strength."

"When you say Evoker, you mean that gun?"

"Yes, you already used one the other day, but I'll go into the specifics at a later time."

When he heard that Ikutsuki wanted to talk to him, Makoto had a feeling that they wanted him to join them. He'd thought that was a possibility as he laid on the hospital bed. He thought about it during school. He thought about it during the train ride back to the dorm. In all those times, he kept recalling the sense of exhilaration on that night he awakened to his Persona power. For more than a year, he had run away from that feeling and he thought he'd finally lost it. However, the feeling had returned and he felt that he could no longer run away from it. If he'd fought these Shadows, then he probably doesn't have to hold back anymore and could fight to his true potential. Furthermore, the deeper he descended into this "world", the better chance that he could figure out what destiny has in store for him along with what the meaning to his mysterious dreams.

Makoto could feel that everyone in the room was holding their breath as they waited for his reply. "Alright, I'll join you." They were all full of relief after he gave them his answer.

"I was afraid you'd say no," Yukari said after letting out a large sigh. "Welcome aboard!"

"Thank you," Mitsuru said.

"I knew you wouldn't say no," Akihiko said.

"I'm really glad you'd agreed," Ikutsuki said. "Oh, I almost forgot, about your room assignment, why don't you stay here in your current room? I don't know what the holdup is, but I guess it worked out in the end right?" He chuckled to himself.

"Holdup? But, wasn't that…Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter anymore." Yukari let out another sigh and shook her head. Makoto was sure that the room issue was all due to Ikutsuki waiting things out so he could scout him. Although, he didn't really care because he had grown quite accustomed to this dorm and his room.

"I think that's enough for one day," Mitsuru said. "We'll begin out operations on another night so you may leave now."

"Alright," Makoto answered. He was feeling a little tired after the talk so he decided to get something to eat and sleep early.

* * *

**Dark Hour Makoto's Room**

That night, Makoto was sleeping peacefully and he was having what he'd believed to be a normal dream. However, he woke up in the middle of the night when he had the sudden feeling that someone was watching him. Although he didn't look outside the window, he felt that the Dark Hour had begun and that he wasn't alone during this time. Standing at the foot of his bed was the same boy he saw on his first night at the dorm. His face had the same mysterious smile as before. Makoto nearly fell out of his bed and his heart almost leaped out of his throat at the sudden sight of the boy. He thought and hoped that he was still asleep.

"Hi, how are you?" The boy asked. "Did I wake you?"

"This isn't a dream, right?" Makoto asked after he calmed his nerves. Reality and dreams have become intertwined for him so it was hard to distinguish the two sometimes.

"Not at all."

"Then, are you human?" The boy thought about it for a while before he gave Makoto an answer.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't matter, right?" Makoto was also wondering how the boy came into his room, but figured it was probably because he was some mysterious entity that didn't abide by the normal laws of physics. He also wondered if anyone could see the boy so he'd contemplated on whether to call someone, but thought against it because the boy would likely disappear even though he needed answers from him.

"Why are you appearing in front of me?"

"It's because I feel that we are alike and I was interested in meeting you again."

"How so?"

"I'm not really sure, but I just know it." Just when Makoto was about to give up getting any useful information, the boy said, "I do remembered something that I wanted to tell you. And that is soon, the end will come."

"…the end?" Makoto was looking for information, but he wasn't expecting to hear something about the end of the world. "What do you mean?" His attention piqued and he was now wide-awake.

"The end of everything," the boy replied as a matter of fact. "But to be honest, I don't really know what it is."

"Does this have to do with the Shadows? And are you also related to the Shadows?"

"Shadows?...Oh those things. I don't know if they are related to the end or if I'm related to them." Makoto was beginning to doubt whether the boy was real or that he was really suffering from memory problems. "Speaking of Shadows, it looks like you've awakened to your power to fight these Shadows. Your power takes on many forms and yet is bound by none. It may prove to be your salvation depending on where you end up." Makoto didn't even know what to say in response to that so he just stared blankly at the boy who suddenly disappeared and then reappeared closer to the door.

"Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honor your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me. Okay then, see you later." The boy then vanished for good this time leaving behind Makoto whose head began hurting because of the cryptic messages he received. Just when he was beginning to understand the situation, something else came out of nowhere and shattered the puzzle he struggled to put together.

With a sigh, Makoto fell back onto his bed and closed his eyes. Contrary to what the boy had said, it didn't seem like he would forget him anytime soon. After a while, he was able to fall asleep as he thought about the mess he had walked into.

* * *

**Sunday 4/19/2009**** 8:15 P.M. Makoto's Room**

Makoto spent most of Sunday catching up on his schoolwork. Because he had missed an entire week, he was a little behind, which was pretty bad for his first week at school. Yukari had lent him her notes and with it, he was able to figure out what the class had gone over during his absence. To his surprise, the lessons didn't appear to be difficult at all. He had learned some of it during his previous school so he got up to date a lot quicker than he expected.

Based on yesterday's conversation, he expected S.E.E.S. to have an operation today, but he didn't receive any information about whether they decided to postponed it. Yukari also didn't seem to know anything about it. A knock at his door then interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey Makoto-kun, can you come downstairs?" Yukari asked. "Akihiko-senpai asked that we need to gather up for something." Thinking that the operation was about to begin, Makoto walked downstairs with Yukari. When they got to the lounge, they saw Akihiko waiting by the opened door.

"So what's this all about?" Yukari asked.

"There's someone I want to introduce you guys to," Akihiko said before looking outside the door. "Hey hurry up."

"Hold your horses," a familiar voice said. "This is freaking heavy." At the sound of the person's voice, Makoto and Yukari looked at each other; both of them had the same perplexed expression.

"Was that-?" Makoto didn't get a chance to finish his question as the person then walked into the dorm dragging a large brown suitcase with considerable effort.

"J-Junpei? Why is he here?" Yukari shouted. "Wait, don't tell me-." She didn't have to finish the sentence for Makoto to understand what she was getting at. There was little reason for Junpei to arrive on a Sunday and carrying a suitcase.

"I think you guys already met," Akihiko said. "This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today."

"Hey, whatsup," Junpei greeted with a wave of his hand. He was all smiles.

"He's staying HERE?" You've gotta be kidding me!" It looked like Yukari was more annoyed by Junpei than Makoto had initially realized. She was becoming irritated at the mere sight of him.

"I bumped into him the other night," Akihiko explained as he ignored Yukari's obvious disapproval. "He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. I also told him about us and he agreed to help."

"You have the potential? For real?" Yukari said with great exasperation. Makoto couldn't help, but nod his head in agreement. He thought that people with the potential are a rarity, but the fact that Junpei had it as well made him think otherwise.

"Yeah," Junpei began. "He found me crying like a baby at the convenience store surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but…man, that's embarrassing!" He laughed aloud as he rubbed the back of his neck before he became serious again. "He said that's, ya know, completely normal in the beginning. Like, being confused and not remember anything. Did you guys know that?"

Yukari shrugged her shoulders and because Makoto couldn't remember being confused or not, he said, "Sure."

"Well that's good to hear," Junpei said. "But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea and you were next to me the whole time. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know." Makoto thought Junpei looked melancholy, but he immediately became excited again. "I bet you're stoked too, right? Having me join you guys?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah…" All the frustration that Yukari had seemed to have drifted away leaving her tired. Makoto just let out a cough to avoid answering before he tried to change the subject.

"So, is this the "great" thing that happened to you?" Makoto asked.

"Yup, it was so hard not saying anything about it, but a promise is a promise."

"Okay, enough with the introductions," Akihiko said as he clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "There's a lot of time for you guys to get acquainted, but first, I think we're just about ready to take _it_ on."

"Ooh, we're gonna go do something? Nice!" Junpei clenched his fists tightly and he looked like he was going to charge out of the door anytime now.

"With this many people, I think we can start exploring _that_ place." Akihiko looked over each of them one by one.

"You mean…Tartarus?" Yukari seemed worried at the mention of that place.

"Tartarus? What's that? Sounds like toothpaste." Junpei on the other hand just looked confused.

"We believe we can find the reason for the Dark Hour there," Akihiko explained.

"I hope so…" Yukari didn't seem convinced that they would find the answer so easily.

"What do you mean the reason is there?" Makoto asked.

"The Chairman will give us the details tomorrow night so I'll refrain from saying much. And be ready as well. I'll let you guys get him settled in." Akihiko then walked upstairs leaving the three of them.

"Sorry Makoto, but I don't feel well so can you take care of it?" Yukari asked.

"Alright." She headed upstairs while muttering something on the way.

"Do you have your room key on you?" Makoto asked after Yukari left.

"Yeah," Junpei ruffled through his pocket before he produced a key. "Here it is." He handed the key to Makoto.

"Hm, Room 2-2," Makoto said as he read the indentations on the key. "Alright, let's go."

"Lead the way."

"That door leads to the kitchen." Makoto pointed to the door behind the counter as they walked past it.

"Cool, I'll make myself something before going to bed."

"This is where the boys' rooms are," Makoto said when they reached the second floor. "Upstairs, are the girls' rooms."

"Is that so…," Junpei said with a mischievous grin. "Have you ever been up there?"

"Just to get to the fourth floor or the rooftop."

"What? That's it?" He looked very disappointed.

"On the fourth floor is also where a room with expensive equipment is. You shouldn't mess around that place unless you want to explain yourself to Kirijo-senpai."

"I-I'll try not to."

"Anyway, the first door to your right is where the showers are."

Junpei took a sniff of his armpit before saying, "I think I can wait another day."

"And this is your room," Makoto said as they stopped by a door. "Mine is the next one over. Sanada-senpai is the one across from yours. Oh, and don't lose your key because you'll never hear the end of it…or so I heard."

"Thanks, man. You know, I think I'm going to enjoy the dorm life."

"Well, congrats I guess. So if that's all, then I'm going back to studying."

"Sure, laters." Junpei opened his door and went into his room while Makoto went back to his to finish any remaining homework.

* * *

**Monday 4/20/2009**** 7:55 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

Makoto had walked to school alone because Yukari had morning practice and Junpei decided to sleep in. He had tried to wake him up, but gave up after a minute. Either Junpei had stayed up late into the night or that Junpei was just a heavy sleeper in general. As Makoto walked through the gates, he saw the two girls he had previously seen talking about rumors.

"Good morning," one of the girls said as she caught up to her friend. "I'm always so drowsy on Monday mornings." She let out a loud yawn.

"Yeah, me too," her friend said. "The only thing you can do is to sleep through first period. Wait, tomorrow is when we have a morning assembly."

"Ughh, I'm too lazy for that. I'll just pretend I didn't hear." Makoto suddenly felt lazy as well. The bell then rang and so he hurried to class.

* * *

**Lunch Break 12:02 P.M. Room 2-F**

When lunch period had started, Makoto and Yukari remained in their seats while Junpei was apparently sleeping at his desk. Yukari stretched her arms and let out a yawn.

"I thought I was gonna fall asleep in there." The door opened and in walked Mitsuru.

"Ah, Kirijo-senpai," Makoto said out of surprise.

"Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm," Mitsuru said when she reached them. "I have something to tell everyone."

"Oh, are we having _that_ talk?" Junpei was suddenly wide-awake. Mitsuru looked at him for the first time since entering the room. She had apparently didn't realize he was there.

"…I'll save the details for later. See you there." She then quickly left the room.

"Wow, she didn't waste any time leaving."

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us." Yukari was looking at the door where Mitsuru left. She looked displeased.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan!" Do I sense some hostility?" Junpei jumped out of his seat and stood in front of Yukari who looked downward.

"Well, it's not that I don't like her…She's just…"

"Kirijo-senpai is on the student council?" Makoto asked as he sensed the awkward tension building up.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She said. "I think she's running for Council President this year. We'll know the results at tomorrow's assembly."

"Well, she certainly gives out that Council President vibe," Makoto said. "She seems used to giving out orders."

"Yeah, I could see that." Junpei nodded his head in agreement. "She looks very strict and kind of scary. I don't want to see what she's like if someone pisses her off." Noticing that Yukari didn't want to say anything about the matter, Makoto decided to let the matter drop.

"I think it's about time I get something to eat so I'll head out now."

"Okay," she said.

"Me too, all that sleeping had made me hungry for some fried bread," Junpei said as dashed out the door.

* * *

**4:50 P.M. Minatodai Dorm 4****th**** Floor Command Room**

When classes were over, the three headed back to the dorm and into the command room. Already waiting for them were Ikutsuki, Mitsuru and Akihiko. Makoto had a feeling of deja-vu as he sat down on the couch.

"Okay, everybody's here," Ikutsuki began. "I'd like your undivided attention. For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had, but that number recently jumped to five. Therefore, starting tonight at 12:00 A.M., I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus." Junpei raised his hand after Ikutsuki had finished his talk.

"Sorry, I asked this yesterday, but what's this Tartarus thing again?"

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?" Yukari asked.

"Hm?" Junpei was even more confused than ever.

"I haven't seen it either," Makoto added.

"It's no surprise since it only appears during the Dark Hour," Ikutsuki explained.

"Only then?" Junpei asked.

"Yeah, it is exactly like the Shadows," Akihiko replied. "It's interesting, right? And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest." Makoto pictured a large anthill; except instead of ants, there were Shadows. He just hoped there wasn't millions of Shadows packed into this Tartarus place. Otherwise, he wasn't sure how they were going to make it out alive.

"Whoa, their nest, huh?" Unlike Makoto, Junpei looked like he was stoked on jumping into this unknown abyss.

"But senpai, what about your injury?" Yukari asked.

"Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance," Mitsuru answered.

"Tch, yeah I know." Akihiko looked disappointed as he stared at his cast.

"Well, I'm sure he won't complain as long as you don't go too far in," Ikutsuki said. Since we're dealing with Shadows, Tartarus isn't something we can avoid."

"Relax, I've got your backs," Junpei said as he pointed a thumb at himself. Makoto wanted to smack the back of his head for being cocky, but thought otherwise as he wanted to avoid creating tension that would later bite him in the ass.

"Now I'm even more worried," Yukari said. "Just don't do anything stupid that will get us all killed."

"I won't," Junpei shouted.

"What about you, Mr. Chairman?" Mitsuru asked.

"Like always, I'll stay here. I don't have any special powers to defend myself." Ikutsuki then stood up. "Mitsuru, remember to show them the weapon storage."

"I'll get on it right away." Ikutsuki and Akihiko left the room to make other necessary preparations.

"Follow me," Mitsuru said to the remaining members. She walked to a nearby door and opened it. "You can't rely on your Personas all the time during battle. You will need other ways to defend yourselves."

"Whoa, this is sweeet!" Junpei exclaimed once he saw what was behind the door. Inside the room were dozens of weapons hanging on the walls and on the tables to the side. Weapon racks were situated in the center that held some of the weapons. There were bladed weapons such as double edge swords, katanas, knives, spears, halberds, javelins, axes, and daggers; as well as other conventional weapons such as bows, arrows and bracers. They all looked polished and brand new.

"It's like I stepped into a RPG," Makoto said as he admired the selection.

"I know right?" Junpei said. "We defeated the final boss and now we have access to a horde of treasure."

"You want us to use these?" Yukari asked.

"That's right," Mitsuru replied. "We can't use our Personas indefinitely and they can't protect us all the time so we need to protect ourselves. Pick whatever weapon works best for you. When you're done, take the time to relax and get ready to leave at 11 P.M. And remember to wear these." She took out three red armbands from her pocket. It looked like the same type of armbands that the Student Council members wear. On it, were the initials, S.E.E.S.

"Why?" Makoto asked after he took one.

"It's to make our club look official," Mitsuru answered.

"I see…" Makoto still didn't know why they had to wear these when what they were doing was supposed to be a secret. Mitsuru then left the room when no one asked any other questions.

"I guess I'll just use this," Yukari said as she picked up a dark brown bow that was almost as tall as she was. The bow appeared to be of high quality as she pulled back the string to test its durability. Satisfied with what she found, she then grabbed a large brown quiver and began filling it with sharply pointed arrows.

"A bow huh?" Junpei said. "I guess it makes sense since you're in the archery team. But for me…" Junpei took a large two-handed katana on display and almost fell off balance because of the heavy weight. "Whoa, it's heavier then it looks, but I think I can handle it. Real men use katanas.

"Just make sure you keep a few feet away from me when you use it," Makoto joked.

"Ha ha, very funny," Junpei said in a sarcastic tone. "So what about you, Makoto? What are you gonna use?"

"Real men use katanas huh? Well, I'll agree with you to a certain extent." Makoto examined a one-handed katana on a nearby rack. It was still sheathed in its dark blue scabbard. When he took it in his hands, he felt the familiar weight of a katana that he had used for a long time. Even though he didn't use katanas as part of the kendo matches, he practiced with one to help further his training. With each swing of the blade, he had to exert a much greater force than he would if he used a bamboo shinai or the wooden bokuto. It was tiresome in the beginning, but after countless hours, days and months of using it, he eventually improved both his strength, stamina and his speed.

When he left for Iwatodai, he left his katana back at home because he didn't plan on ever using one again. At first, he didn't even want to touch the katana that he now held in his hands, but he disregarded the thought as he remembered that it was monsters that he was fighting against, not humans. With that in mind, he slowly drew the katana and admired the beautiful sharp two and a half foot blade.

"That's right, we Japanese men gotta use katanas," Junpei said. "Although, yours can't compare to mine." He looked at his katana that had a blade almost as long as five feet.

"Are you okay with a katana?" Yukari quietly asked Makoto.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." He didn't notice the deeper meaning within her question.

"Then it's fine…" After making sure what they had was what they wanted, they left the room and waited until the appointed time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V: Tartarus**

**Monday 4/20/2009**** 11:58 P.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

Once it became 11:00, the S.E.E.S. members assembled in the lounge and immediately set off to the train station. For some reason, they were dressed in their school uniforms. Along the way to Tatsumi Port Island, Junpei had asked where they were heading. Mitsuru just said, "You'll see." He then began prancing around the car. Whether he was excited or nervous, it was unclear to Makoto.

Throughout the ride, there wasn't much talking between any of the members. Mitsuru had remained silent most of the time unless she was telling Junpei to sit back down. Akihiko looked out of the window with a grin on his face. Yukari had listlessly watched the scenery without any particular expression. Makoto kept moving his hands around the cloth that hid his katana, as he got lost in nostalgia.

When they arrived at Gekkoukan Front Gates, the only people who were surprised were Makoto and Junpei.

"This is it? THIS is the place? Why here?" Junpei's confusion was understandable as Makoto was just as confused as he is.

"So Tartarus is in the school?"

"Just wait a few minutes," Akihiko said. "It's almost midnight." A few seconds later, the scene in front of them seemed to warp together. The sky turned green and the hazy glow that always accompanied the Dark Hour had appeared. This was the first time Makoto had experience the transition from the normal day to the Dark Hour. Well, it would technically be his second time, but he didn't paid much attention the first time he arrived in the city.

However, what was different was that the school began to shift around as if there was a black hole sucking it in. Not before long, a different green structure appeared and continued to get taller and taller, twisting and turning before it reached into the sky. A red liquid was pouring down on the side of it and Makoto couldn't see the top of the structure from the ground level. If he would describe the structure, he would probably call it a tower of sorts. Unlike normal towers with symmetrical layers, this one was pure chaotic. The layers and blocks seem to poke out of the tower from all angles. It was as if a child had decided to glue together pieces of blocks together without any directions. Parts of staircases and buildings were all warped and fused together. The tower was both awe-inspiring and intimidating.

"This is Tartarus, the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour," Mitsuru said as she motioned to where the school had been.

"Labyrinth? What are you talking about? What happened to our school?" Junpei's eyes were impossibly large and his mouth was wide-opened. "I'm not the only one seeing this right?"

"No, I'm seeing it too and just as confused as you are," Makoto said.

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal," Mitsuru explained.

"So this is the "nest" that you were talking about?" Junpei asked Akihiko. "So why'd our school turned into a giant tower?" Akihiko didn't say anything in response so he turned to Mitsuru.

"Do you know?"

"…No." Mitsuru sounded suspicious when she denied it and even Junpei had notice.

"I'm sure it's complicated so who cares anyway," Yukari interjected. "It's not like it would change our minds about fighting." Makoto was quite surprised that she came to the aid of Mitsuru because he knew that Yukari had a distrust of Mitsuru.

"Well, maybe now we'll find out," Akihiko said as he took a step toward the tower. "Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek so this will be our first time exploring it. Exciting, isn't it? There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say, exciting, but I am curious," Makoto said.

"Akihiko, I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today," Mitsuru said.

"I got it, you don't have to remind me."

"Alright, it's time we head on in," Mitsuru said as she walked into what was originally the doors to the school building. When Makoto walked through the door, the first thing he noticed was the large staircase that ascended many feet upwards. At the end was a giant golden clock with many connecting gears. There was also a large hole at its base. The room itself was enormous and he couldn't even see the ceiling. Many pillars around the room reached as high as he could see. The walls were made of up staircases and buildings parts all angling in strange directions. At the eastern side, he could see a strange circular object on the ground that was glowing with a strange light. As he moved around, he could hear their footsteps echoing loudly against the marble floor.

The room was very cold and had the distinctive smell of an old room that hadn't been open for a long time. For some reason, the place reminded Makoto of the dream worlds he was in a few nights ago. The room was quiet and voided of life except for the people around him. It wasn't exactly the same as the dream worlds, but it did feel like he stepped into another world entirely.

"Whoa, it's just as cool on the inside," Junpei said as he looked at the stairs.

"I find it creepy," Yukari said.

"This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at top of the stairs." Mitsuru pointed to the large clock.

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place," Akihiko said. "Why don't you go have a look around?"

"What? By ourselves?" Yukari was extremely alarmed at the prospect of having only the rookies venture into a dangerous place.

"We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here," Mitsuru assured her.

"How would you feed us information?" Makoto asked. "I thought electronics don't work during the Dark Hour."

"Personas come with various abilities. Mine has the added function where I can communicate with you through your transceivers. I'll explain more about it as you get inside."

"So you two didn't plan on coming in the first place?" Junpei asked.

"That's right," Akihiko answered. "We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions."

"For real?...One of us?" Junpei jumped up excitedly. "Oh! Oh! Me me me, pick me!" Akihiko looked at each of the rookie members before making his decision.

"Makoto, you're in charge."

"W-Wait! Why him? He doesn't look like a leader," Junpei cried. After Junpei's comment, Makoto wondered what a leader even looked like. He didn't particular care who became the leader so long as Junpei wasn't it. If he was, then they might all die.

"But, he has fought them before," Yukari said with a large smile.

"Seriously?" Junpei looked at Makoto with newfound respect.

"Just once though."

"That's true, but there's another reason. You two…" Akihiko pulled out his evoker and pointed the barrel at his head. "Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like he can?"

"Y-Yeah, of course I can! It's just shooting yourself in the head. No biggie." Junpei said with questionable confidence.

"I think so," Yukari said.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here," Akihiko said after he holstered his evoker. "Without your Persona, you're screwed. Unless the enemy is a minor shadow, then your weapons should suffice."

"I'm aware of that," Yukari said as she placed a hand on her evoker.

"Next, I'll explain about using Personas in general," Akihiko continued. "Summoning a Persona requires a lot of energy. The longer they remain on the battlefield, the more you will become tired so let it return when there are clearly no enemies around. Also, be aware that when Personas take damage, your mind will also take a mental blow and you will become more fatigue so be careful. If you're too tired, then you won't be able to summon your Personas for a while. Lastly, you control your Personas' actions subconsciously, meaning don't think too much about it and let it do what you want it to do. So, any questions?"

"No, I think I got it," Junpei said.

"I have one," Makoto said. "Why do we need these evokers to summon our Personas?"

"Good question," Mitsuru said. "Even though it is possible to summon your Personas without the evokers, it is very difficult. There is a special chemical in the evokers that creates a reaction to simulate an artificial tension enabling the summoning of your Personas."

"So that's how it works," Makoto mused.

"Okay, the only thing left to say is good luck and don't die out there." Akihiko laughed, hoping to alleviate their tension, but it didn't work so well as the others didn't look amused. He then walked with Mitsuru to an area near the entrance.

"Then let's go," Makoto said as he took off the cloth that covered his katana and tied it to his belt using a small chain. Yukari and Junpei both got their weapons ready and began heading to the stairs. Makoto began following them, but a familiar blue door to the left of the room caught his eye. He walked toward it and saw that it was the same door to the Velvet Room. As he thought about whether to open it, the key he received from Igor appeared in his hands. "No time like the present," he muttered before inserting the key into the lock and opened the door.

Makoto suddenly found himself sitting on a chair facing Igor and Elizabeth.

"Good evening," Elizabeth said with a smile.

"I've been waiting for you," Igor said. "The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into, how did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

"So you know what this tower is?"

"I know, but it is not my place to tell you," Igor said with a smile.

"I should have expected that." Makoto turned around to look at the door he came from. "Can that door appear anywhere?"

"No, only in certain places of your world. Also, only you can see it."

"Is it because I have this key?" Makoto showed Igor the key he used to open the blue door.

"Yes, because you are a guest here."

"I see…and before, you mentioned the true nature of my power. What do you mean?"

"Your power is unique, it's like the number zero; it's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities. You are able to possess multiple Personas and summon them as needed. You are also able to use your Personas in many different ways, but I will explain it on another time. For now, just remember that as your mind gets stronger and you gain a better understand of yourself, you will be able to summon more Personas that are sleeping deep within yourself."

"Why is it that I can summon multiple Personas while no one else can?"

"It is because of the secret power hidden deep within your soul. It grants you great power and the ability to summon multiple Personas is only a small part of it."

"What about _that_ monster that appeared a week ago? Is that also a Persona?"

"That is…not a Persona, but a very powerful creature that lives within you. Should you ever be backed into a corner, it should be able to save you. HOWEVER, it should only be called as a last resort. It is far too powerful for you to control at this time. Not only your life, but also the ones around you will be in danger. Remember that."

"I guess I will later learn what that thing is, right?"

"You are correct my young boy. And it is about time you head back, but before you go, allow me to unlock a few hidden Personas sleeping in your mind."

"What-." Before Makoto could understand what Igor was talking about, Igor raised his palm toward Makoto's head. The palm then began glowing blue and Makoto could feel a warm sensation in his head.

"And with that, it is done. You can now summon more Personas and they are good alternatives to _it_ when you are in a pinch."

"Really?" Makoto didn't feel any different.

"Yes, and good luck with your venture. We will meet again."

* * *

When Makoto came to, he was standing in front of the blue door and he wasn't sure how much time had passed.

"Hey are you alright?" Makoto turned around to see Yukari calling to him.

"Yeah, man. You look like a zombie all dazed like that," Junpei said. Looking at their expressions, Makoto didn't think they could see the door so he had to make an excuse.

"Uh, I thought I saw something, but I was mistaken."

"Okay, then let's go now," Yukari said. Without wasting anymore time, the three walked up the stairs and through the door.

After the three juniors left the room, Mitsuru turned to Akihiko and said, "I know that you're injured, but if something go wrong, then I want you to run in and get them out."

"Leave it to me."

* * *

What greeted the trio was an empty room with dark green colored walls. There was blood like liquids splashed onto certain areas of the room. They could see passageways on the north, west and east sides of the room.

"So, this is it, huh?" Junpei said.

"I hope I don't get lost," Yukari said. Makoto looked at the passageways and saw that they all lead into many different directions. It was as if they were in a maze and there was a good chance they could get lost inside Tartarus for days. He didn't want to bring up the fact that the door had disappear to avoid freaking them out.

"Can you all hear me?" The three of them suddenly heard Mitsuru's voice coming from their transceivers.

"Whoa! Is that you, senpai?" Junpei asked after he took out his transceiver.

"I'll be providing audio backup from here on out."

"Wait, do you mean you can see inside here?"

"It's part of my Persona's ability. I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative."

"No wonder you stayed behind even though you didn't have an injury," Makoto said.

"Well, that makes me a feel a whole lot better," Yukari said with a sarcastic tone.

"Now, based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute," Mitsuru continued. "They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution."

"Right!" Junpei said.

"Got it," Yukari said. "Why is she always like that?" She mumbled the last part so the others couldn't hear it.

"For now, I'll let you take the lead, Yuki," Mitsuru said.

"Understood." Makoto decided to think about formations afterwards because letting the others summon their Personas was more important. "Because Yukari-san and Junpei haven't summoned their Personas yet, we should get that out of the way so you could get used to it. When we approach the first enemies, just summon your Personas and we'll go from there."

"Okay," the two of them said. After walking through the northern passageway, they saw the first Shadows in the room. They were like the black glob types that Makoto had confronted on the rooftop.

"Shit, they're here," Junpei said.

"T-Then we should summon our Persona then," Yukari said. The both of them were slightly trembling as they took their evokers and raised it to their heads. Fortunately, the Shadows didn't appear to notice them in the meantime so Makoto waited for them. He could that Yukari's hands were trembling as she placed a finger on the trigger. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily.

"I won't let it be the same as last time," Yukari cried before pulling the trigger. A burst of blue light shot out of the evoker and shards of light appeared around her. Above her head materialized her Persona, a petite girl in a pink dress shackled to a recliner shaped like a cow's head. "So this is my Persona…Io."

"Dammit, I'm not going to be the one who chickens out," Junpei shouted before he pulled the trigger. In a moment, the same shards of light appeared around him and his Persona materialized above his head. It had black clothing, large metal bronze wings on his legs and stood twice the height of Junpei. The bronze helmet on his head made it looked like a bird of some sort. "Alright, Hermes has arrived. It's time we show off what we can do. Go, burn them to a crisp." Hermes summoned fireballs to his hands and shot them at the Shadows creating an explosion of flames.

"Io, it's your turn," Yukari shouted. Io began glowing green and then a powerful gust of wind began shredding the Shadows to pieces.

"Pretty good, Yuka-tan," Junpei said after it was over.

"Not so bad yourself." While the two were celebrating their first victory, they didn't notice a lone Shadow creeping toward them from a corner. Quickly Makoto dashed toward it and drew his blade, killing it in one silent cut. The wonderful sensation of using a katana had returned to him in one simple slash. He was becoming excited with the prospect of using it to its full potential.

"…Dude, that was awesome." Junpei was amazed at Makoto's quick move. "It was like something in an anime."

"Good job everyone," Mitsuru congratulated them from the transceiver. "The remaining enemies on this floor are more or less the same so use this chance as practice and defeat all of them."

"Okay!" The three of them shouted.

"Now that you could summon your Personas, we should begin thinking about formations," Makoto said.

"What do you have in mind?" Yukari asked. With what little Makoto knew about Yukari and Junpei's battle prowess, he figured that there weren't many options available. Taking into account Yukari's bow and Junpei's long sword, there was one simple formation he could use.

"Junpei, because you seem physically strong and have good reach, you should be the front vanguard and take down as many enemies as you can."

"Now you're speaking my language."

"Yukari-san, you should be at the rear and cover Junpei with your arrows and Persona wind abilities."

"Roger."

"As for me, I'll remain in the center and take care of the enemies on the side and the ones that get pass Junpei. So, are we good to go?"

"Yeah," the two of them said in unison. After that, they walked down a few corridors and saw a few more Shadows huddled together.

"Leave this to me," Junpei declared as he attacked them head on. Swinging his blade from side to side and downwards, he quickly defeated some of the Shadows.

"Uh, it's just not me right? He's swinging that large blade like a baseball bat," Makoto said.

"What an idiot," Yukari sighed. "He's going to get himself killed that way." After swinging his blade several times, Junpei missed a strike and lost his balance. Some Shadows took notice and immediately encroached upon him.

"Shit, Yukari-san backup Junpei. I'll take care of the further ones." Makoto moved forward while Yukari loaded her bow with an arrow and took careful aim. A split second later, the arrow zipped straight into the Shadow attacking Junpei. The arrow easily stopped the Shadow in its track before it dissipated into the air. Junpei had barely dodged the arrow by a few inches.

"Whoa Yuka-tan, watch out!" While Junpei was still on the ground, Makoto took care of the remaining Shadows.

"Don't take on too much if you can't handle it. Use your Persona if you have to." Makoto held his hand out and Junpei grabbed it to pull himself up.

"I'll be careful next time."

"Then let's continue." The three explored the area and defeated all of the Shadows that stood in their way. They kept mostly in formation and they summoned their Personas when the enemy numbers were too large. When they were done, they were standing in front of a staircase.

"Those stairs lead to the next floor, but you should head back for now," Mitsuru said.

"Already? That was so easy that I could do this all day," Junpei said as he stretched his arms.

"Ohhh, don't tell me you forgot that time you fell flat on your ass," Yukari joked.

"W-Well, except that part."

"WAIT!" Mitsuru suddenly shouted. "I sense something approaching you. Be careful." At the warning, the three looked around until they saw a large brown beetle that was about eight feet long and four feet tall. The shiny thick shell on its body looked like it was as hard as diamonds and the foot long horn looked as sharp as knives. Upon noticing them, the beetle charged at them with a loud screech.

"Orpheus!" Makoto called his Persona out and it moved to block the attack. However, the beetle's powerful tackle knocked Orpheus away and disappeared. Makoto felt a surge of pain in his head when Orpheus was defeated. Gripping his forehead, Makoto stumbled around as he tried to maintain his balance.

"Makoto-kun!" Yukari called Io and she summoned a surge of wind to attack the beetle. However, the beetle merely walked through the wind without receiving any apparent damage. Its attention now turned to Io, it quickly charged at her. Without any time to evade or defend herself, Io took the full force of the attack. "Aaahhh." Yukari screamed from the pain.

"It's our turn Hermes, use your fire attack." Hermes threw two fireballs at the beetle who was unfazed by the flames. Rather, it became angry and began attacking Hermes who tried to punch its head. The impact created a shockwave and the two were stuck in a deadlock. "Push Hermes, push harder!" The struggle between the two entities ended when the beetle overpowered Hermes and it rammed its horn into Hermes abdomen. "D-Damn, isn't there anything else we could do?"

"Everyone, distract it for a moment while I scan for its weakness," Mitsuru ordered.

"Okay," Makoto said after regaining his composure. "Everyone, surround it and attack with your weapons!" The three of them then moved into positions. Yukari fired arrows after arrows, but each of them deflected off its shell. Junpei moved in and did a jumping strike on the beetle's back. The impact was so great that Junpei's sword flew out of his hands. The beetle turned to Junpei and was getting ready to tackle him. Makoto quickly ran up to the beetle's behind and released a fury of slashes. They were all mostly ineffective, but it did get the beetle's attention. It turned around 180-degrees and charged at Makoto who was able to dodge the incoming attack. They then quickly ran to the far side of the wall.

"I've finished!" Mitsuru announced. "It is invulnerable to both fire and wind attacks. Physical attacks are largely ineffective. Its only weakness is electric attacks."

"Electric?" Yukari cried out. "None of us have any electric attacks."

"What about Orpheus?" Junpei asked Makoto.

"It doesn't have it either."

"Shit, then what can we do?" Junpei shouted to no one in particular. Makoto thought that the best option was to run away, but they were trapped in the room with the only escape being blocked by the beetle who for some reason was taking its time in getting to them. As he realized how dire the situation had become, his heart began beating as fast as his rising stress levels.

_Call Me. _

A voice then echoed in his head creating a sharp pain to Makoto. He grabbed onto his head with both hands and tried to suppress the monster that was trying to come out.

_Summon Me._

The voice got louder and louder and he remembered Igor's warning about it. If he released it then maybe it will destroy the beetle, but could he control it? He doubted it so he had to find another alternative.

_RELEASE ME!_

As the monster's restraints began to undo, Makoto frantically searched through his mind to find something he could use. Visions of monsters shuffled through his head until it landed on a particular one.

"Crap, it has backup!" Junpei cried as two more beetles entered the room. "We're screwed!"

"They're not going to make it!" Makoto could hear Mitsuru screaming over the transceiver. "Akihiko, get them out now!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

"Senpai, wait!" Makoto shouted. "Let me take care of it."

"What are you talking about…?" Before Mitsuru could finish her sentence, Makoto raised his evoker to head.

"Come! Oberon, King of Fairies!" He fired the evoker and released another Persona. The raging monster within Makoto then began to subside when the new Persona was called. It was a small fairy man with a small sword. He had a red ceremonial crown that ancient kings in England used to wear and wore a long red sleeve shirt and white trousers. He remained levitated in the air by the quick beating of his wings as he waited for his orders. "Take them out!" At Makoto's command, Oberon began glowing yellow and static electricity circled his body. "Everyone, get to the corner!"

"Makoto-kun, what's going on?" Yukari asked with a bewildered expression.

"Tell you later, but now we need to get as far away as possible." At the appearance of the new entity, the beetles all converged upon Oberon. Once they had gotten within reach of him, he released all of the accumulated electricity into the surrounding area, shocking and destroying everything around it. The force of the electric attack knocked the junior members off their feet and into the wall. They placed their hands over their ears to protect against the deafening crackling of electricity.

In the meantime, the beetles were trapped in the voltage and their shells were destroyed because of the power. The destruction lasted for about thirty seconds. When he thought it was safe, Makoto looked up and saw the aftermath. The beetles were still alive, but they were stunned and defenseless. "Let's Go All Out and defeat them now while they can't move."

"Alright! It's payback time baby!" Junpei picked up his sword and began hacking away at a nearby beetle. Yukari unload her remaining arrows into the another one with stunning accuracy. Makoto sheathed his blade when he got to the last beetle. He moved into a stance where he kept his right hand near the top of the scabbard and the other one holding on to the grip of the katana, just below the guard.

"Haaahhh!" With one quick motion, Makoto drew the blade and sliced the beetle in half.

"Man, I feel like I leveled up more than 10 levels in that fight," Junpei said after all the beetles were dead and dissipated into the air.

"Good work, everyone," Mitsuru said. "It's about time you exit the place."

"How?" Makoto asked. "The entrance is gone."

"If you go through that hallway and turn left, there should be a portal that will take you out." They did as Mitsuru said and they saw a strange circular device on the ground. It was emitting a bright white light. "Just step into that and you will return to the lobby."

"I'm not gonna ask how that even works because I just wanna get out now," Junpei said.

"Yeah." Yukari took the first step into the device and disappeared. Junpei and Makoto followed suit. The next thing they knew, they were back at the entrance and near the strange device, Makoto saw earlier.

"Thank god you guys are safe," Akihiko said as he ran to them. "But you did good."

"Were those things Shadows?" Yukari asked. "They weren't like those black gooey things we saw."

"Shadows come in all shapes, sizes and forms," Mitsuru replied. "At the core, Shadows are the gooey things you were accustomed to. However, they have the ability to change its body into other things, such as a beetle."

"Senpai, I thought you said there were only easy Shadows on the first floor," Junpei complained.

"It must have come from the upper floors. They were probably lured to the first floor by your fights."

"Is that what happened…but Makoto, to think you had another Persona," Junpei said. "It saved our butts in there."

"He actually has three," Yukari added.

"What three?" Junpei was surprised at what he heard. "Do I also have three Personas?"

"I doubt it," Akihiko answered. "People generally only have one so that's why it was a surprise when we saw him summon another one a week ago."

"As far as we know, he is the only one who has more than one Persona," Mitsuru continued. "He probably has a lot more than he even realizes."

"Really?" Yukari asked Makoto who shrugged his shoulders.

"So lucky, I wish I could use more than one Persona," Junpei said. "But oh well. Now, I just want to go home cuz I'm exhausted."

"Me too," Yukari agreed. "I'm still trying to catch my breath actually."

"That's the effect of the Dark Hour," Mitsuru explained. "You'll become fatigued more easily. Don't worry though, you'll adapt. But, I'm surprised, you all did much better than I expected even with the appearance of a powerful enemy. I don't think me and Akihiko could have done any better on our first visit. At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko."

"Heh, we'll see about that."

The S.E.E.S. members packed their things and left Tartarus. The junior members were so exhausted that they fell asleep on the train back. Makoto had thought that the trains stopped at midnight, but apparently, Mitsuru's influence extended much further than he realized. That night, he was too tired to remember how he got back to his bed.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: There is a few kendo terminology in this chapter so I'll explain some of it to give a better understanding of it. The following are the basics:**

**In official kendo matches, a person wins when he scores two points. He scores a point by hitting the following areas of his opponent:**

**Men (head)**

**Tsuki (neck) (pronounced "ski")**

**Do (torso) (pronounced "tou")**

**Kote (wrist) (pronounced "ko-tay")**

**However, to get an actual point, you must do three things almost simultaneously: shout the area that you are going to hit, actually hit that area, and strike your right foot down. To avoid redundancy, I omitted most of the "striking foot down" parts in the chapter. **

**So those are the basic rules of kendo. There are obviously more rules, but I don't plan on going into that much detail. Don't quote me on anything though because I'm not an expert. Also, "Kendogu" is kendo gear.**

* * *

**Chapter VI: Kendo**

**Tuesday 4/21/2009**** 7:55 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

Waking up on the morning after the Tartarus visit was extremely tiresome. Makoto got about six hours of sleep, which would be fine on another day, but the fatigue from the fighting had remained in his body. He had to slap himself a few times just to get out of bed and change his clothes. While he didn't see Yukari or Junpei when he walked out of the dorm, he figured that they were still sleeping rather than the possibility that they had gone to school earlier than usual.

As Makoto walked down the path, he released a loud yawn that had accumulated inside his lungs.

"Hey, Makoto," a voice called him from behind. He turned around and saw a male student with short brown hair running up to him. The caller looked familiar, but he wasn't in a condition that he could easily recall people's name or face on the top of his head.

"Uh…you are…" Makoto stared blankly at the student who was beginning to get irritated.

"Dude, I'm in your homeroom class. I sit behind Junpei. Kenji Tomochika, remember?"

"Ah…Kenji. Right, I think I remember. Sorry, but my mind is still asleep." Makoto rubbed his eyes to make the point.

"Yeah, I could see that. You look like you could collapse any moment now. Were you up all night or something?"

"Hmm, I explored a creepy dungeon and hacked and slashed some monsters," Makoto mumbled. "My party was almost wiped out."

"Oh, you were playing the new Dragon Quest game, right?" Kenji nodded his head knowingly. "Yeah, that game could be quite addicting."

"…Yeah…a game…"

"So anyway, I head from Junpei that you're pretty close to Yukari-san. What's up with that?" Kenji had the same grin that Junpei had on a few days ago. It was as if every male in the school seems to wonder about her or like to talk about her.

"She's-." Before Makoto could finish, the bell rang.

"Crap, we should go. The morning assembly is about to begin." The two of them ran to the auditorium and sat in the Class 2-F section near the center. A few seconds later, Junpei and Yukari entered the auditorium and took the seats in front of Makoto.

"Hey, you guys made it," Makoto said.

"Yeah, me and Yuka-tan left a little after you did," Junpei said. "Let's think twice about going to creepy dark places at night right before a school day."

"I hope it gets easier from now on," Yukari said after letting out a yawn.

A female student then went up on stage and gave a speech about events and holidays coming up soon. She finished after about thirty minutes.

"And that concludes the main portion of today's assembly. Next, we'll hear a word from the Student Council. Please welcome the new President, Mitsuru Kirijo, from Class 3-D." The student and members of the audience clapped their hands to welcome Mitsuru who walked up to the podium with great confidence.

"Thank you," Mitsuru said to the female student.

"So, she did get elected," Yukari mused to herself. "Well, I guess she is the most popular girl in school."

"You can say that again!" Junpei agreed. "There's like some kind of aura around her. Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?"

"Yeah, I try not to think about that," Yukari said as Mitsuru got ready to make her speech.

"As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share with you my vision for this coming year. It is my firm belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, change cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. That is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty goal. I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and re-evaluate your convictions. To imagine a bold new future without losing sight of the realities around you. That is the key. I am certain that many of you have your own visions of the future. For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential. Thank you." The audience gave Mitsuru a standing ovation after she was done.

"Dang, that was freaking amazing," Junpei said as he almost jumped out of his chair. "So, do you have any idea what she just said?" He turned around to face Makoto who had fallen asleep. "Dude…you're such a rebel."

* * *

**3:05 P.M. Gekkoukan Walkway**

"Sucks that Yuka-tan has archery practice after school," Junpei said as he and Makoto walked out of the school building. "Glad I'm not as dedicated as she is when it comes to extracurricular activities."

"Well, maybe if you were, then you wouldn't be so tired after yesterday's venture," Makoto argued.

"Heh, speak for yourself."

When they were about halfway to the gate, they saw a group of girls and Akihiko a few feet ahead of them.

"Look, it's Akihiko-senpai!" One of the girls squealed in a high pitch voice.

"Where?" Another girl asked as he she looked around. "Oh, there he is!" The group of girls then ran to Akihiko and surrounded him all the while chattering very loudly.

"Have you noticed how popular Akihiko-san is with the ladies?" Junpei asked. Man, take a look at that, I didn't use to talk to him much, but now I've got a good excuse. I know he's the captain of the boxing team, but who would've thought he'd be such a chick magnet? I mean, come on! You don't even see girls flock like that on TV!...But I do wonder where they're going."

"Girls dig an athlete star. Comes with the hard work."

"Eh, it's not worth it."

By this time, Akihiko looked like he was becoming annoyed by the attention and so he tried to move forward. The girls however didn't want to leave just yet.

"Senpai!" A girl cried.

"Wait for us!" Another girl shouted.

Akihiko was not deterred and continued walking until he noticed Makoto and Junpei.

"Hey, are you guys free this afternoon?" Akihiko asked them as soon as he got near them.

"Hell yeah!" Junpei pumped a fist in the air. "Whatcha got in mind?"

"I want the two of you to meet me at Paulownia Mall. You know where it is, right? I'll be at the police station. See ya there."

"Th-The police station? You mean, we're not hanging out with your friends?" Junpei motioned to the pack of girls huddling together.

"Who? These girls? I don't even know their names. They talk so much, they give me a headache. Anyway, I'm gonna head out and don't keep me waiting."

"Why don't we just go together?" Makoto asked.

"I would, but I think it's easier to ditch them if I leave by myself." Akihiko pointed a thumb at the girls before running past the gate.

"Awww, why can't he be more friendly?" A girl sighed at the retreating Akihiko.

"But, that's what makes him so cool!" Her friend declared as she and the others chased after Akihiko. Makoto could sympathize with Akihiko based on what he just witnessed. He hoped that he would never be as popular as Akihiko.

"Man, how can he not know their names?" Junpei asked. "I mean, seriously! Just look at them!...Oh well, let's go."

* * *

**3:35 P.M. Paulownia Mall**

"Here we are," Junpei declared as they stood in front of the police station. "I don't see Akihiko-senpai anywhere. Do you?"

"No, he's probably inside so let's go in," Makoto replied.

"After you." Junpei stepped aside to let Makoto in first. They then walked into a surprisingly small police station. From where he stood, Makoto saw a few desks to the left side of the room where a few officers were busy working on cases and filing reports. At the far end, there was an office room with a window. It was probably the police chief's office. Directly ahead of the entrance was a counter where a police officer in a dark blue uniform was talking to Akihiko.

"Oh, these are the guys I was talking about earlier," Akihiko said when he noticed them. The officer just stared intently at the two of them. He looked like he was in his thirties and his stern face created an imposing aura that spooked Junpei. "I was waiting for you guys. This is Officer Kurosawa. He helps keep our squad well-equipped. The weapons you're using are ones we got from him. He has many connections so if you need to replace a weapon then just come talk to him. Don't worry about the cost, everything will be placed on Mitsuru's tab. Well, that's all so I'll see you later." Akihiko walked out of the police station.

"I've been informed about you two," Kurosawa began. "My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances. I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on here. I'm only doing what I think is right."

"I'm surprised that you could get us so many high quality weapons," Makoto said.

"I am an aficionado of weapons so I know where to look. By the way, what weapons do you boys use?"

"We use katanas," Junpei answered. "Mine's a long sword type."

"I didn't think anyone would actually use those weapons. They're not very efficient."

"Not efficient? No matter where I swung, I was bound to hit something so I think it serves me well."

"Swinging wildly…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Kurosawa grumbled before turning to Makoto. "What about you?"

"A simple katana with a two and a half foot blade."

"Hmmm…" Kurosawa looked like he fell deep into thought. "Did that katana have a name imprinted on the blade?"

"Yes, Kenzo Murasame." Makoto had seen that name on the base of the blade when he further inspected the katana before going to Tartarus.

"Is that right?...Yoshitsune, is the name of that blade. It's a great katana so take real good care of it."

"Don't worry, I will."

"Good…What's your name?"

"Makoto Yuki." When Kurosawa heard the name, his eyes grew a little bit wider in recognition.

"I see…I think the katana's in good hands."

After saying goodbye to Kurosawa, Makoto and Junpei left the station.

"Aw man, that wasn't what I had in mind at all when Akihiko-senpai told us to go with him," Junpei said as soon as they closed the station's door.

"Eh, it could be worse," Makoto said in response.

"Regardless, I'm in a bad mood now so I'm gonna take off now. Later." After Junpei left, Makoto went to the music store and perused its selection for a few hours before returning to the dorm.

* * *

**7:03 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted when Makoto stepped through the door. "I'd like to speak to you for a moment." Makoto went to the couch and sat down. "Regarding our exploration of Tartarus, Akihiko is still on the mend, so for now, I'd like you to lead the team while you traverse the tower. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, it's fine. It's not like Yukari-san is willing to do it and Junpei is…well, it's better if he didn't become the leader."

"Good, I'd like it if we explore Tartarus three days a week. Every other day of the week beginning on Tuesday. Seeing as how you're all still tired after yesterday's excursion, let's wait until Thursday night the next time we go exploring. How does that sound?"

"I think it works, although I would prefer only twice a week, but I guess exploring Tartarus is a high priority for S.E.E.S."

"That's right, we have to hurry to find what is causing the appearance of the Shadows and to prevent anymore incidents caused by them. Of course, we might not strictly follow that schedule as things in life might cause problems on certain days."

"I understand, I'll keep those days in mind then."

"I'll let Takeba and Iori know what we decided just now."

"Okay." Makoto then left Mitsuru and went back to his room.

* * *

**Wednesday 4/22/2009**** 7:55 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gate**

As Makoto walked down the walkway, he noticed Kenji a few feet ahead of him.

"Hey, Kenji."

"What's up, Makoto?" Kenji began looking around trying to find something or someone. "Huh? You're all by yourself? Dude, I thought the rumor about you and Yukari-san was true."

"They're just rumors. Nothing more."

"Oh yeah?" Kenji didn't look surprised, but he did nudged Makoto in his side. "Although, you know what they say, where there's smoke, there's fire." Kenji laughed to himself. "But, it's not like I particular care or anything. Come on, the bell's about to ring." The two then hurried to their class.

* * *

**3:03 P.M. Class 2-F**

When classes were over, Makoto was at his seat pondering what to do next. Junpei had run off somewhere and Yukari had archery practice. He was thinking that he should just go home so he was about to leave when Kenji stepped up to his desk.

"Hey, man. I'm gonna get some ramen now so you wanna come?"

"That's pretty sudden, why eat now? It's still early."

"No reason, really. I just don't have anything to do later and I thought we could finish our conversation from this morning. So whaddya say, man? Let's get some ramen and talk."

Makoto didn't have anything to do either so he said, "Eh, alright."

"Cool. I know this great ramen place so let's go."

* * *

**3:31 P.M. Hagakure**

The great ramen place that Kenji had mentioned was Hagakure, a ramen shop on the second floor of the Iwatodai strip mall. The restaurant was quite small with a few seats on the counter and only three tables. Upon entering, Makoto got a good whiff of an enticing aroma that he couldn't pinpoint. When he sat down on the counter, he felt that the place had a homely and warm atmosphere. It was probably because of the wooden floorboards and the pictures of various plants on the brown walls. The lighting was neither too dark nor too bright. With only a few people inside the restaurant, it was a good place to relax.

On Kenji's recommendation, Makoto ordered the "House Special." He then watched the chef cook their meals from behind the counter. The chef was moving very fast all around the kitchen and it didn't take long for their ramen to be finished. Makoto first noticed that the ramen wasn't particularly unique or special looking. It looked like every run of the mill ramen he saw everywhere; slices of pork, pieces of seaweed, onions and an egg.

"What are you waiting for? Dig in." Kenji took a pair of chopsticks and began sucking and slurping the noodles. Makoto then followed suit and he immediately tasted a unique flavor that he couldn't quite figure out. It was sweet yet sour. "Whew, now that's what I'm talking about! Well, was I right, or was I right? This ramen tastes great, doesn't it? I bet they put a special ingredient in it. Something no other ramen shop uses. It's probably some sort of secret spice." Kenji had suddenly noticed that he was on a verge of rambling on for a long time. "Oh sorry, my bad. I get all geeked up when I eat here."

"I could see why, this ramen is great. And yeah, it's like there's a secret ingredient, which gives it the unique taste. But I think the ramen back in Sapporo is better."

"Oh right, you were from Sapporo. I did hear great things about the ramen there."

"Sapporo's specialty is a miso ramen that consists of sweetcorn, butter, bean sprouts, chopped pork, and garlic. It's like the best thing to eat during a cold winter day."

"Damn, I'm feeling even hungrier just thinking about it." Kenji then shot out of his seat like a bolt of lightning. "I've decided, before I die, I'm going to Sapporo and try the ramen out."

"Whoa, calm down. The ramen's not going anywhere."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Kenji sat back down with an embarrass look on his face. "Let's just finish with what we have here." The two resumed eating and finished after five minutes. "By the way, man, I hear you and Yukari are close. And you only just transferred here too. I can't blame you, though. A man's gotta be aggressive nowadays."

"So you're just going to conveniently ignore what I said this morning, huh?"

"Yup." Kenji had a large grin on his face. "You say one thing, but reality's another thing."

"Well, whatever then," Makoto said after letting out a sigh. "What about you? Are you close with anyone of the opposite gender?"

"…Maybe…" Kenji said as he averted his gaze. He was obviously lying. Kenji then looked around the restaurant before turning back to Makoto and began whispering, "Look, I think you're cool so I'm going to let you in on a secret. Don't tell anyone, alright?"

"Okay."

"I'm actually close with someone and that someone teaches at our school."

"Teacher?" Makoto responded a little too loudly.

"Shhh, keep it down," Kenji said as he looked around again. "But yeah, her name is Emiri Kanou and she teachers Ethics." Makoto didn't bring up the irony of an ethics teacher getting into a relationship with a student.

"So, how serious is the relationship?"

"We're still in the early stages, so not much happened," Kenji said with a little disappointment in his voice. He then looked at the clocked and said, "It's already this late? My favorite show is about to start so I'm going to head on out. But hey, let's hang out again sometime. I'll even give you updates on my relationship with Emiri."

"Yeah, sure. I could always use another friend who's a ramen lover."

* * *

**Thursday 4/23/2009**** 7:54 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gate**

"Is it just me, or have there been more weird people around lately," A girl said to her friend as Makoto walked through the gate. It was the same two girls he had overheard talking about rumors and the early morning assembly.

"You're talking about the Apathy Syndrome, right? My neighbor has that and he grosses me out. Sometimes I think I might have it too, and it depresses me." Makoto was sure that the Apathy Syndrome they were talking about was the condition when a Shadow attacks a human leaving him in a lifeless state.

"Maybe you just need some exercise. Hey, the athletic teams are accepting new members. Maybe I should join!"

"Sports clubs are recruiting, huh?" Makoto muttered to himself. He did remember the announcement made at the morning assembly. If it was a few years ago, he would've been excited, but now he didn't have any desire to join a sports club. That is what he had thought on the way to class.

* * *

**3:01 P.M. Class 2-F**

As soon as classes were over, Yukari turned around to face Makoto and said, "Hey Makoto, sports clubs are now recruiting so are you going to join any?"

"Huh? Uh, I'm not going to," Makoto said with little emotion.

"That's right, we're still young so we can't waste our high school life practicing sports all the time," Junpei said from his seat.

"Why? You're obviously athletic and you were in the kendo club too," Yukari said to Makoto. "I'm sure you'll do well."

"I just don't find kendo all that interesting anymore." When he was done, Yukari moved in close and stared straight into Makoto's eyes. They were only a few inches apart. "W-What?"

"…You're lying," she said with unbelievable confidence. She then grabbed his arm and began pulling him toward the door.

"H-Hey, wait. What are you doing?" She exhibited surprising strength, as she was able to pull him away with apparently miniscule effort.

"I'm taking you to the kendo club. Junpei, are you coming too?"

"Nah, I'm going to chill at the mall so have fun by yourselves," Junpei said as he waved them goodbye.

* * *

The next thing Makoto realized, he was standing in front of the kendo club training hall. "Well, I think I'll take my leave here…" As he began walking away, he felt Yukari pulling him back.

"You don't have to join, but check it out at least, okay?"

"…Alright, enough with the sad puppy eyes. I'll just watch the club members practicing and that's it."

"Okay!" She smiled brightly and pushed Makoto through the door.

The training hall was very big and was the same size as the school's gym. Similarly, the wooden floors were well polished and there was nothing else of importance. In the center, club members were giving exhibition matches to prospective members. They were all fully geared in kendogu consisting of a facemask with metal bars, dark blue mittens, a light brown chest and abdominal protector, and underneath was a dark blue hakama.

"Are you interested in joining the kendo club?" A man in his late thirties called to Makoto from his left side. The man was wearing a green jumpsuit and with him were two other members.

"Eh, well…"

"Actually, he's here only to observe," Yukari interjected.

"Is that so…." The man looked a little disappointed. "Well, how about participating in a practice match to get a feel for it? I don't normally allow this for prospective members, but the moment you walked in, I could tell that you have great potential."

"Actually, I…"

"What's your name?"

"Makoto Yuki."

"Makoto Yuki, huh?…Hey, get him an equipment set." The man said to the members by his side. "Okay, I'm going to find you a sparring partner so wait here." The man then walked to where the other members are.

"What just happened?" Makoto said to himself. He planned to refuse once the man came back.

"Don't run away!" Yukari suddenly shouted.

"What?" Makoto felt a little spooked because it was as if she had read his mind.

"Remember how I said I read your file? I also know about what happened when you were in the kendo club. And about what happened to _that_ member too."

"…So you knew…" Makoto looked down to avoid her judging eyes. "If so, then you know why I don't want to join the kendo club."

"I understand, but I still think you should move on. The past is the past. You can't change it. But that doesn't mean it will dictate your future. Remember…it was an accident, okay?"

"I…"

"Okay, are you ready?" The man had returned along with another club member who had a dark tan and was vaguely familiar. "This is Kazushi Miyamoto and he'll be your sparring partner."

"Makoto, I didn't think you were interested in kendo," Kazushi said with an amused look.

"Uh, you are…"

"What? I'm in your class, man." Kazushi shook his head in disbelief. "It's what, two weeks since you joined the class and you still don't remember your classmates?"

"Sorry, I'm bad at remembering faces."

"Well, okay then. Let's get the practice match out of the way. I'll go easy on you." Kazushi walked to an opening where nobody was having a match.

"You can change into the kendogu over there." The man pointed to a door on the side of the room. Makoto took the equipment and walked into the room. He felt like he was just going with the flow without any of his input.

After a few minutes, Makoto was geared up and facing Kazushi who was standing a few feet away. Apparently, all of the exhibition matches had ended and now everyone was focusing on this match. He was very nervous, even more so than the night he went to Tartarus. His body and hands were trembling. He couldn't keep his shinai steady. He began breathing rapidly. Then, an image popped into his mind. In it, he was standing similar to how he was now and he was facing an opponent in a kendo match. The next image showed his opponent lying flat on the ground and then the next showed the other club members huddling around his opponent. They looked at him with hateful angry eyes.

"Begin." The man's shout shook Makoto out of his past as the match had started. Makoto and Kazushi bowed and tapped their shinai together. Immediately after, Kazushi tried to strike Makoto's head. He awkwardly moved out of the way, but Kazushi did not relent and kept aiming for his head and other parts of the upper body. With each of Kazushi's strikes, Makoto had barely dodged them each time. They began circling the area with Kazushi trying to land a blow while Makoto tried to dodge them. All the while, Kazushi continued to shout nonsensical words at the top of his lungs.

As the onlookers watched the strange performance, they began murmuring about their confusion.

_Is this normal for a kendo match?_

_ Why isn't the other one attacking back?_

_ He must be scared, going against an experienced member._

Makoto knew that he couldn't just dodge Kazushi's attacks forever. However, he didn't want to just throw away the match due to his own pride. Uncertain as what to do, he allowed his body to move on reflex.

"I've got you now!" Kazushi yelled when he noticed that Makoto shortly stopped moving. He pulled his arms over his head and released all he had into an overhead strike. "Men!" Makoto however, instantly parried Kazushi's strike from below. In the same quick motion, Makoto swung his shinai down onto Kazushi's head as he stomped his right foot down onto the ground.

"Men!" Before the shinai made contact, Makoto realized that he had subconsciously exerted too much force so he tried to pull back the shinai as much as he could to lesson the blow. With a loud smack, Kazushi fell faced down onto the ground. Silence filled the air except for Makoto's heavy breathing, as he feared that the past has once again been repeated.

"Kazushi!" A girl with a dark tan wearing a red and gray jumpsuit yelled from the crowd before she ran to Kazushi's side. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him back and forth.

"Uuugghh…I feel like…someone took a giant hammer…and slammed it on my head," Kazushi groaned as he slowly took off his facemask and stood up on his feet. "Damn Makoto, was that a fluke or have you done this before?" He grinned widely to show that he wasn't really hurt. Makoto breathed out a sigh of relief as the worse had been prevented. He wasn't the only one who was on the edge of his seat, the spectators seemed to have been relieved as well as they begun chattering once again.

"Makoto-kun, that was great!" The man in the green jumpsuit said. "Even though that is actually only one point, I think we can safely say that you've won. So you should definitely join the club."

"AAAaahhhh!" A club member suddenly yelled out and pointed his finger at Makoto. "I just remembered. Four years ago, there was a student who became the champion of the All Japan Junior High Championships. Then that same student became the champion for the next two years. And I'm sure his name was, Makoto Yuki." The club members were all shocked and surprised at the revelation and began looking at Makoto with newfound appreciation. It was as if a celebrity had just paid them a visit.

"What! Champion?" Kazushi looked even more stunned than the other members did. "If I knew, then I wouldn't have gone so easy on you."

"Like that would change the outcome," the girl by his side joked.

"Hey, you don't know that," Kazushi retorted before turning to the man in the green jumpsuit. "Anyway, did you know that he was a champion?"

"Of course I knew. If you were very serious in kendo, then you would've known as well. Did I ever let any prospective member participate in an exhibition match before? No! I was excited when I saw his name on the list of new students. However, I told myself that I wouldn't chase him around trying to recruit him. But all bets were off the moment he stepped inside this hall."

No wonder the man approached him right away when he entered the room is what Makoto thought. It wasn't like the kendo club was short on members or anything so there was no need to recruit as many members as he could.

"So Makoto-kun, I asked before and I'll ask again, will you join the kendo club?" The man and the other members were looking at Makoto expectantly. Feeling the enormous pressure, he tried to get away until he saw Yukari looking at him intently. She narrowed her eyes as if to transmit her thoughts into his.

_Say yes. Just say yes._

As Makoto was on the fence, he remembered Yukari telling him to "don't run away". He knew he was doing it, even though he wanted to move on. Maybe if he joined, then he could accomplish that. Well, at least it's better than brooding about the problem forever is what he thought.

"Okay, but I'm usually busy in the mornings and after school."

"That's no problem," the man said. "With your skills, you don't need much practice so you can join in whenever you can. That includes morning practices as well."

"…Then I guess it's fine." Somehow, the decision to join the kendo club was a lot more difficult than his decision to join S.E.E.S.

"Alright!" The man pumped his fist into the air. "By the way, my name's Sasaki and I'm the coach of the kendo club." He motioned to the girl with short black hair by Kazushi's side. "This here is Yuko Nishiwaki and she's the club's manager. She's in the second year."

"Nice to meet you, Makoto-kun," Yuko said. "If you need anything or have any questions, then come talk to me."

After greeting some of the members, Makoto left the room and found Yukari waiting for him outside. She had a large smile on her face.

"Did that make you feel better?"

"Not really."

"Well, the road to your recovery begins now. I'm going to check up on the archery team for a while so you can go on ahead." Yukari left through the door leading to the track field and Makoto began heading back home.

* * *

**5:08 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

"Sup dude," Junpei greeted Makoto from the couch when he walked through the door. "I hear you're friends with Kenji now. He said that you're a pretty cool guy."

"Are you also friends with him?" Makoto asked when he sat down on the other couch.

"Yeah, we don't hang out much, but I've known him for a long time. He's a good guy and, man, he has no fear when it comes to the ladies."

"You can say that again."

"So what happened to the kendo club? Did you join?"

"I did."

"You disregarded my advice so I hope you're happy about it."

"Yeah, me too…"

"By the way, we're going to Tartarus today, right? We should get ready." Junpei stood up and went back to his room. Makoto stayed behind thinking about the kendo club and what's going to happen to him from here on.

* * *

**Dark Hour Tartarus**

Makoto, Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru and Akihiko were standing in Tartarus' lobby as they got ready for the next venture.

"Yuki, I'd like for you to clear 2-3 floors today," Mitsuru said. "You did well last time so I'm sure you'll keep the team safe."

"Just do what you did last time," Akihiko said.

"Okay," Makoto replied before turning to Yukari and Junpei. "Are you guys ready?"

"Ready," they both answered. The three of them headed up the stairs and into the door.

Their venture proceeded smoothly as there wasn't a lot of resistance. Most of the enemies they encountered were the same black globs. There wasn't any of the beetles they saw last time, but they did encounter a new Shadow type. It was a small hairy thing that levitated in the air. Its appearance reminded Makoto of a flying mop with what looked like a crown on its head. Fortunately, the new Shadows weren't very strong as the team members were able to take them down with mostly their weapons. However, those Shadows did shoot out fireballs, which prompted a change in tactics. Makoto and Junpei distracted them while Yukari finished them off with her arrows.

Other than the encounters with the new Shadows, there wasn't any other problem except that Makoto was a bit distracted the whole time. Regardless, it didn't really affect his decision making abilities so Yukari and Junpei failed to notice. After a while, they arrived on the fifth floor and decided it was a good time to stop.

"Welcome back, you've exceeded my expectations and progressed even further than I anticipated," Mitsuru said when the team returned to the lobby.

"Of course, since I was on the team," Junpei gloated.

"Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming," Yukari said in response. After another successful exploration, the S.E.E.S. members left Tartarus and returned to the dorm.

* * *

**Monday 8/6/2007**** 4:05 P.M. Training Hall in Kita Junior High**

A few days after the All Japan Junior High Championships, Makoto received a challenge for a duel by his friend and club mate, Oukusa Kagara. Even though Makoto called him his friend and they hung out with the same people, their relationship had become strained in the recent months. It was apparent to Makoto that Oukusa was envious and sometimes even jealous of him. Ookusa was always proud of his abilities and the fact that Makoto was the one who had won the championship and not he seemed to have hurt his ego. Makoto guessed that Oukusa's challenge was a way to vent his pent upped frustrations.

When Makoto geared up and went to the training hall, he found Oukusa already there waiting for him. The other club members were also there sitting by the walls.

"Makoto, you didn't deserve to win the championship," Oukusa declared. "I could have defeated you if I got to the finals."

"You never even defeated Makoto before so do you really think you would've won in the finals?" Makoto's friend Kyo Kagami shouted from the audience. Oukusa didn't say anything in response, but just stared at Makoto from behind the face mask. "Okay, let's just get this out of the way and continue our day." Kyo got up and placed his hand forward. "Ready…Begin!"

Makoto and Oukusa bowed before tapping their shinais together. They circled around each other for a while as they tried to find an opening. Soon after, Oukusa charged straight ahead and aimed at Makoto's right wrist. "Kote!" Makoto parried the attack and went into a defensive position. Oukusa then aimed for the torso. "Do!" Again, Makoto parried the attack, but this time he quickly counterattacked with a strike to Oukusa's right wrist.

"Kote!" The strike had made contact.

"Makoto, one point," Kyo said.

_Just go all out on him. No need to hold back. _A voice suddenly whispered in Makoto's mind. Surprised at the sudden intrusion, he shook his head in order to get rid of it.

"Do!" Oukusa dashed in and moved to strike Makoto's chest, but he was barely able to avoid it by an inch.

_He's only a piece of trash. He thinks he's an elite, but he's actually a poor excuse for a human._ The strange voice continued to invade Makoto's mind with words that felt hypnotic to him.

"Get out of my head," Makoto cried out, but nobody appeared to have heard him. The voice had become a distraction and he couldn't completely concentrate on the match. Seeing, Makoto falter for some reason, Oukusa took the chance and released a flurry of strikes. The shinai was able to make contact with Makoto a few times, but only one hit was valid.

"Kote!"

"Oukusa, one point," Kyo said.

In trying to keep his momentum going, Oukusa tried not to let Makoto escape so he attacked the torso area. "Do!" Makoto blocked the strike with his shinai and the two fell into a deadlock with their weapons crossed.

_Just end it now. You've played around with him for too long. It's about time he recognizes who is the superior one._

After none of them could gain any ground, the two jumped back and this time, Oukusa entered into a defensive position. Makoto moved to attack Oukusa's right wrist, but he saw it coming and tried to parry it. However, Makoto baited Oukusa from doing that so he instantaneously changed direction and attacked Oukusa's head.

"Men!" Makoto's attack made contact because Oukusa had reacted too late to avoid or parry it.

"Makoto, two points. End of match and the winner is Makoto," Kyo declared. Oukusa then fell down because he was stunned at what had happened. Everything had ended in an instant. Instead of accepting his loss honorably, he grew even angrier than he usually did.

With the match over, Makoto turned around and looked for a resting place because of the headache caused by the mysterious voice in his head. Even though his mind was somewhere else, he still felt a sudden powerful movement behind him. He turned around and saw Oukusa charging wildly at him with the shinai raised high over his head.

_See? This is who he is. A coward who would attack you when you're not looking. So teach him a lesson that he'll never forget!_

As if compelled by the voice, Makoto raised his shinai and swung down with all his might onto Oukusa's right shoulder, near the base of his neck. The impact was so loud that people a few distance outside the training hall heard it. So much force was used that Oukusa's facemask fell off and Makoto's shinai shattered into pieces upon contact. Oukusa blacked out immediately and fell down hard to the ground without even having the chance to scream.

"OUKUSA!" Everyone in the room gathered around Oukusa near lifeless body and saw that blood had shot out of his mouth, streaming down his armor. His eyes had rolled back into his head showing only the white of his eyes.

"Makoto!" Kyo screamed. "What did you do?" He and the other members looked at Makoto with anger, fear, and disgust.

Makoto just stared blankly at them, unsure of what happened and why they were looking at him like that. He couldn't hear anything, but complete silence as if someone had muted the scene with a remote. The only things he remembered afterward was that an ambulance was called to bring Oukusa to the hospital and the police had arrived to take him into custody. He later heard that Oukusa was alive and he will make a recovery except for the permanent injury in his shoulder that will prevent him from practicing kendo again.

Fortunately, the only good thing that happened was that Oukusa's parents didn't press charges or sue Makoto for damages. He was able to avoid any legal action because the club members convinced them that he was only defending himself. The members had come to that conclusion when their anger had abated. Also, Oukusa's parents had known him for a long time and knew that he wasn't the type to intentionally hurt someone. However, his relationship with the Kagara family became strained after the incident and he avoided having contact with them. It wasn't just them as his relationship with the club members and his friends also became awkward. The invisible distance that he had always felt with them had grown exponentially larger.

Makoto was suspended from the club for the remainder of the school year as punishment. Fearing that the school's reputation would plummet, it used its influence to cover much of the incident so not many people outside of the vicinity heard about it. Regardless, Makoto continued to remember the incident and so when he got into high school, he didn't join its kendo club. Every time he held a shinai, he feared that he would lose control and drastically hurt someone again. He may even kill them next time.

At that point, he felt like he was living life aimlessly without a purpose and it only got worse for him when his grandfather later died. Unable to cope with the added pain, he decided to leave the area to start his life anew. Even though, he knew that all he was doing was running away from the problem.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: To blarg7865: The first part of the story will involve the Greek deities from the game in similar roles as well as entities from Christian Mythology. I am a fan of Norse Mythology and would like to include Norse deities in a role other than as Personas, but I don't think it would fit in the story. However, I will include Japanese deities as actual characters when I write Part 3: Two Sides of the Same Coin. It covers Persona 4 events. With the rate I'm going, it's going to take a very long time before I get there. Although, I'm always revising my outline so things may change in the future. **

* * *

**Chapter VII: The First Step Forward **

**Friday 4/24/2009**** 6:10 A.M. Makoto's Room**

It had been a while since Makoto saw the dream where he injured his club mate. The likely cause was the exhibition match he had with Kazushi the day before. Now that he thought about it, he wondered what that voice he'd heard during the match with Oukusa was. He wasn't sure if that voice was the same as the monster in him or something else.

When he returned to Iwatodai City, he expected his life to be a breeze, but fate was a harsh mistress. From the mysterious forces to his painful past, he was being bombarded by problems from all sides. Frustrated by everything, he furiously scratched his head until it started to burn. The biggest problem presently was the kendo issue. After the recollection, he didn't feel like participating in any practice yet so he decided to avoid it for a while.

* * *

**3:03 P.M. Class 2-F**

As the students filtered out of the class, the only person who didn't move was Makoto. He had his head face down on the desk and wasn't showing any indication that he was planning to leave any time soon.

"Makoto, you asleep or something? Junpei asked from his seat. "You do know that classes are over, right?"

"Yeah, I'll leave in a while." Makoto murmured as he continued to lie face down on his desk.

"Well, okay then…But anyway, I didn't know that you were a national champion. That would explain a few things such as your familiarity with a sword."

"Where did you hear that?" Makoto lifted his head off the desk.

"I heard a few kendo team members talking about it. I can't believe you hid that from me, your best friend."

"…Best friend, huh?"

"So are you going to practice now?"

"I don't think so, just don't feel like it."

"So even champions slacks off every now and then. Well, how about hanging with me at Game Panic?"

"…Yeah, alright."

* * *

**Saturday 4/25/2009**** 7:54 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

"Oh hey, you know the bookstore at the strip mall? Isn't their grand reopening today?" A girl was talking to her friend in front of the gates. Now that Makoto thought about it, he'd been seeing them a lot lately. For some reason, he always eavesdropped on their conversation. He didn't normally do that, but the fact that they discussed interesting things made it impossible for him to ignore. At the very least, they do provide useful information to him. Because he didn't know their names, he called the girl with short black hair, Girl A. The girl with the short brown pigtails was Girl B.

"Huh? A bookstore?" Girl B asked.

"Yeah, leave Iwatodai Station, go straight for a while, and it's after you cross the crosswalk. We've been at this school for a while so you should explore more often." The bell than rang and Makoto walked into the building thinking about the bookstore. He recalled seeing it when Junpei gave the tour and he planned to check it out, but he had forgotten. It was probably a good time now then any to visit it.

* * *

**3:01 P.M. Class 2-F**

"What are you going to do today?" Junpei asked Makoto after classes ended.

"I'm thinking of checking out the bookstore."

"Is that so? I rather not go there unless I'm looking for cheap manga, which I already have enough as it is. So catch you later then."

"Sure." Makoto then left the school and took the train to Iwatodai Strip Mall.

* * *

**3:28 P.M. Iwatodai Strip Mall**

Upon arrival at the station, Makoto headed straight to the bookstore, Bookworms. Once he was inside, a waft of old and used books invaded his nostrils. The store wasn't big at all. In fact, it was quite small. Piles and piles of various books filled the somewhat dimly lighted room. There weren't any signs or labels to indicate what types of books were being displayed or how much they cost. Everything was poorly organized, which was surprising for a grand reopening. He looked around to see if there were any other customers, but he was apparently the only one in the store.

"Young man, can I help you with something?" An old man wearing a white sweater, brown slacks, and large glasses walked out behind a pile of books. He was leaning on a small brown cane so he was hunched over.

"Uh, I'm looking for books on kendo and swordsmanship."

"Kendo and swordsmanship? That's an interesting hobby you have." The old man looked amused as he rubbed his chin. "We don't get many young people like you here. Isn't that right, Mitsuko?" The old man called out to someone behind him and then a petite old woman in a brown sweater and long white skirt walked out from a room behind the counter.

"What was that dear?" Mitsuko asked the old man when she got closer.

"I said that we don't get many young customers who like kendo and swordsmanship."

"Oh yes, the young people who visit us are ones who were looking for old novels or manga."

"It seems that our grand reopening has brought us a special customer," the old man said with a jovial laugh. "It's nice to meet you, my name is Bunkichi. I own this bookstore along with my wife, Mitsuko."

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"Nice to meet you, too," Makoto said. "My name is Makoto Yuki."

"Makoto…Is it alright if we call you Makoto-chan?" Bunkichi asked.

"No."

"Then Makoto-chan, judging by your uniform, you are a student of Gekkoukan High?"

"That's right. Why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing much, it's just that our son used to teach at your school."

"Is that right? Where does he teach now?" Instead of immediately answering, the two looked crestfallen. Makoto thought that he had asked something that he shouldn't have. "Was it wrong of me to ask?"

"No, it was normal for you to ask that," Mitsuko replied as she gently rubbed her eyes. "The truth is that our son was killed in a car accident a few years ago."

"I'm sorry for asking." Makoto had an idea of what it felt like for someone to ask another about a dead relative. He was lucky that only a few people had mentioned his dead grandfather to him.

"Don't worry about Mitsuko. She tends to get very emotional sometimes, but she's actually strong on the inside," Bunkichi reassured Makoto. "Have you ever noticed a persimmon tree in your school's yard?"

"Yes, it's actually kind of hard to miss."

"That tree was planted by our son's students in honor of him," Bunkichi said with a proud look on his face.

"That's great," Makoto said. He was right about that tree being something special when he first saw it.

"Okay, I think that's enough about reflecting on the past." Bunkichi looked at a nearby pile of books. "You were looking for kendo books, right? I believe you can find them somewhere in these stacks. When you're done, bring them to the counter." Bunkichi and Mitsuko walked to the counter while Makoto sifted through the books. After a few minutes, he found some interesting ones and brought those to the checkout.

"Found what you were looking for?" Bunkichi asked.

"Yes, I think these will be helpful in my training."

"You know, I used to be on the kendo team myself. Because I was so good, girls used to chase me around all day. It was very tiresome." Bunkichi let out a chuckle. Makoto thought that Bunkichi may have been like Akihiko during his school days. He found it amusing when he thought that if Akihiko will end up like Bunkichi someday, a used bookstore owner.

"Dear, you and your old stories," Mitsuko said while she shook her head. "Here you go Makoto-chan." She handed Makoto the books after she processed the payment.

"Come again, Makoto-chan," Bunkichi said as he waved goodbye.

"I will." Makoto then went to Wild Duck Burger and ordered a few burgers and some fries. He read his newly acquired books as he ate his meal and learned some interesting things he didn't knew before. After he was done, he realized that swordsmanship and kendo were very important things to him and it was hard to give those up. However, the fact that he could lose control again was very real and shouldn't be treated lightly. Once again, he was unsure of what to do.

* * *

**Sunday 4/26/2009**** 2:30 P.M. Port Island Theatre**

Yesterday's exploration in Tartarus went off without a hitch. Nobody was seriously injured and the team was even able to get much further in a limited time. They encountered new Shadows types, but were able to handle them with relative ease. If anything had improved, it would be their teamwork. Junpei and Yukari had gotten more used to fighting the Shadows and could act with better judgment resulting in Makoto giving fewer orders.

Today, he was planning to relax and forget about his problems. However, he somehow ended up watching a historical movie that took place during the Sengoku Period. The fighting samurais in the movie had reminded him of his kendo problem, but at the same time, he forgot about it as he immersed himself in the interesting swordplay. After it was over, he felt that he was close to figuring out what he should do.

* * *

**Monday 4/27/2009**** 7:53 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

As Makoto arrived at the school gate, he saw Girl A and Girl B talking.

"Morning…Ugh, I'm so drowsy on Mondays," Girl A said. It looked like she was having a hard time keeping her eyes opened.

"Didn't you say the same thing last week?" Girl B asked. Makoto was sure that Girl A had complained about the same thing almost word for word. "Is that special morning assembly today? How come we're having one? We just had one last week."

"Remember how great Kirijo-senpai's speech was last week?"

"Oh yeah, that speech was awesome! Although, I didn't understand most of it."

"What I heard was, the principal got jealous, so he scheduled his own speech to compete with her."

"Seriously? What's up with that? Why do we have to suffer because of his ego?"

"Why indeed," Makoto muttered. He didn't even know that there was an assembly today until he just heard it from the girls. Although, it wouldn't affect him as much because he planned to sleep through it like last time. Whatever Mitsuru had said in the prior assembly, it must have been great because everyone was talking about it; even the principal. The bell then rang and the three of them hurried to the auditorium.

* * *

"We'll now begin this morning's assembly," a teacher said from the podium. "First, our principal has some words he'd like to share with you. Please give him a warm welcome." A few people clapped their hands while the rest didn't even bother.

"Thank you," the principal said once he got to the podium.

"What's the deal with the assembly?" Yukari asked Junpei who was sitting to her right. "You think it's about the recent incidents?"

"Who cares?" Junpei replied. "The principal doesn't know anything about the Shadows anyway. I just hope this doesn't take too long."

"I know. His speeches always drag."

"Ahem," the principal cleared his throat before he began. "I'd like to tell you about my, um, vision for this school year. As you are aware, strange incidents have been reported on the news lately. It is my firm belief that none of you are involved. However, if we want to better our school, then we all need to accept responsibility for change. Dig deep down inside, and tap into your imaginations. But don't lose touch with reality. As they say, "There's no use crying over spilt milk." This is the key to reaping all the rewards that school has to offer."

"Wait a minute. Doesn't this remind you of Mitsuru-senpai's speech?" Yukari whispered.

"Yeah, you're right. What's up with that?" Junpei then turned to his right. "Hey Makoto, what do you thin…Dude, you fell asleep again?" He nudged Yukari on the shoulder. "Yuka-tan, we should just follow Makoto's example and sleep through it next time."

"Not a bad idea."

* * *

**12:03 P.M. Second Floor Hallway**

While Makoto was heading downstairs to get lunch, he bumped into Mitsuru who looked like she was in a hurry.

"Ah, Yuki. Good timing. I need to talk to you after school. I have a special request for you."

"What special request?"

"I apologize for being in a rush, but I don't feel comfortable asking anyone else. I'll tell you more about it after school, okay? Au revoir." Mitsuru then left as quickly as she came. Makoto was curious about the special request, but he just hoped that it wasn't something troublesome.

* * *

**1:10 P.M. Class 2-F**

The class after lunch was math class and the teacher was Miyahara-sensei who was currently answering a problem she wrote on the whiteboard. She dressed in her usual orange blouse and brown slacks that was reminiscent of American hippies in the 1970s. Her hair was even done into a large afro.

"Then round up, so the answer is x=1." Her answer however was apparently odd because she received blank stares from her students. "Hmm? It isn't? Oh, I see, this becomes 11, so I'm sorry, you're right. X=2. Wait, is that right? Okay, uh, your assignment is to figure this one out. Anyway. Wasn't that incredible? Even with a difficult problem like this one, once you solve it, x still equals 1. Or maybe 2. What I'm getting at is, math is fun! Don't you think so?" She then took a look at the class roster. "All right. Today is the 27th, so that works out to…your turn, Yuki-kun."

Makoto stood up and hoped that he received an easy question. Even though he was good at math, he couldn't even follow what Miyahara-sensei was talking about.

"What's 1+1?" She asked. Makoto just stared at her for a while because he thought he didn't hear right. He wondered why would she ask such an elementary question? There was a good chance that it was a trick question. If it was, then he didn't know what the right answer was so he decided to just give the obvious answer.

"Uh, 2."

"You're right. It's a simple question, so the fundamentals are obvious. No matter what, 1 plus 1 is 2. It doesn't matter what you're counting. Atoms, students, if one joins another, there's 2 of them. That' math for you. Isn't it amazing?"

Makoto then sat back down and he felt like he was in a math class for elementary students.

* * *

**3:10 P.M. Class 2-F**

When classes were over, Makoto stayed in the classroom because he knew that Mitsuru would be looking for him. About a minute later, the door opened and in walked Mitsuru.

"I apologize for making you wait. To make a long story short, I want you to join the Student Council." Whatever Makoto thought that Mitsuru would ask him, it was definitely not, what he had just heard.

"Don't I need to be elected to the Student Council?"

"Normally yes, but I convinced the teachers to establish a special position that wouldn't require an election. It's called the President's Assistant position."

"…You can do that?" Makoto thought it was absurd to create such a position. The fact that she could do it showed how frightening her influence in the school was.

"Yes, it's within my power as President."

"So why pick me?"

"Because of your leadership ability. Being President is very time consuming so I'd like to have help available in the event of an emergency. You understand my situation. I'm asking you since you know what it's like to be a leader." Makoto wanted to argue that being a leader in the battlefield did not automatically make him a good leader in general. He refrained because he knew he wouldn't win in an argument with Mitsuru.

"Leadership abilities aside, I'm actually very lazy so I don't think I'll do a good job."

"Are..you…trying…to…lie…to…me?" Mitsuru threatened in a deep voice, which made him shuddered. "I know that you're not lazy so don't even try to fake it."

"O-Okay."

"Good, welcome to the Student Council and you don't have to worry about attending meetings every time. Have you ever had any experience in the Student Council?"

"Well, one time I was the class representative. Apparently, everyone voted for me when I slept through the voting process."

"Heh," Mitsuru chuckled. "So that does happen in real life. But it's good that you have experience. The work will be a breeze for you."

"So you say…" He quietly muttered.

"Now, following me to the council room and I'll introduce you to everyone." The two walked out of the classroom and to the room across from it. Inside was a room with many file cabinets, a few computers, folders and papers. In the center was a large rectangle created by placing four long brown desks together. A few of the student council members were already sitting at the large table when Makoto and Mitsuru walked in.

"Everyone, this is Makoto Yuki, a second year," Mitsuru announced from the head of the table. "As you all know, I established a special position called the President's Assistant and he will be the one to fill that role. If you ever need my help and I'm not around, then you may go to him for assistance. I can assure you that he is very capable." After Mitsuru was finished introducing Makoto, everyone looked at him with curiosity. For the great Mitsuru to call him capable, must mean that he was astounding.

"Uh, hi. It's nice to meet everyone…I'm looking forward to working with all of you," Makoto said. One of the council members then walked up to him. The student walked with a confidant stride and he had black hair that was slicked back.

"I'm Hidetoshi Odagiri, the vice-president and third year student." He shook hands with Makoto before continuing again. "I'm sure that you'll be of great help to us." When he was done, a girl with long black hair took his place.

"And I'm Chizuru Akaba, the secretary and also a third year student." Chizuru then turned to the last girl with long brown hair and glasses. "Hey Chihiro-chan, why don't you introduce yourself?" The girl, Chihiro looked like she was deathly afraid of something. Makoto figured that she was probably scared of him for some reason. She timidly approached Makoto and stopped when she was about three feet away.

"I-I'm Chihiro Fushimi, the treasurer and a first year student." When she was done, she went back to reading papers on the far side of the table.

"Okay, now that introductions are over, let's get down to business," Mitsuru said. She went to the whiteboard and began writing some things down.

The meeting had lasted about an hour and it was mostly about some minor administrative business. Mitsuru briefly went over some important school events later in the year and the preparations needed for them. Then she skimmed over some possible new policies that they could add to the school rules. When it was over, Makoto headed back to the dorm with Mitsuru. Along the way, they chatted about other student council matters that weren't brought up during the meeting.

* * *

**5:10 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

"Yo Makoto!" Junpei greeted the two of them when they entered the lounge. "I heard Mitsuru-senpai asked you to join the Student Council! Senpai, are you sure you wanna let his slacker in? He even falls asleep during the morning assemblies."

"Told you I was lazy," Makoto muttered.

"I simply asked for his assistance," Mitsuru replied as she ignored Makoto's comment. "I don't intend to burden him with too many responsibilities. Why, are you interested in helping too, Iori?"

"Oh, uhh…I'll pass. But, thanks for the offer."

"Is that so," Mitsuru chuckled. "The offer will stand for the remainder of the school year should you change your mind." She then went into the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Man, kendo club and student council? How are you going to get any free time?"

"I wonder about that myself."

* * *

**Tuesday 4/28/2009**** 7:50 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

"Good morning, Yuki," Mitsuru greeted when she happened to see Makoto on the way to school. "I believe this is the fist time I've seen you before school."

"Yeah, you're right. When do you usually leave for school?"

"I leave the dorm around 6 A.M. everyday."

"That's quite impressive."

"Not really. After two years of serving on the Student Council and leaving early in the morning to make preparations, I got used to it."

"Impressive nonetheless." It was apparent that people voted for her not only because she was popular, but also for the fact that she was a dedicated and hard worker.

"If you think that's impressive, then you would be amazed to know that Akihiko wakes up at 5 in the morning to workout before leaving for school."

"Wow, that's some dedication." Back when Makoto was in Junior High, he had done the exact same thing so he had to admire Akihiko for doing the same extraneous training regime. He didn't do that anymore because he lost most of his excitement to become stronger.

"It's been almost a month since you moved here, have you gotten used to our school yet?"

"I have actually."

"I see," Mitsuru said with a smile. "Your ability to adapt to new situations and environments is very impressive."

"I owe it all to the friendly people here."

"It's good to know that you're fitting in," Mitsuru said as she nodded her head. "By the way, there's something I forgot to tell you. Most of the time, you can find me in the lounge. However, I won't be there if there is something I must attend to. So, if I'm not in the lounge, we will explore Tartarus on another day."

"I understand." The two then entered the school building and left for their appropriate classes.

* * *

**12:10 P.M. Gekkoukan Rooftop**

Makoto was leaning over the railing on the rooftop as he ate his lunch. He was so immersed in the scenery that he didn't realized somebody was watching the scenery with him.

"Is this what you usually do during lunchtime?" Surprised at the sudden voice, Makoto nearly dropped his sandwich over the building. He turned to his left and saw Kazushi with a grin on his face.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"I asked Junpei and he thought you'd be up here."

"I see…" Makoto looked back down the building and saw a few students congregating around a nearby tree.

"You know, the club members have wondered why you haven't joined them for practice yet." Makoto didn't say anything in response and only continued to stare listlessly at the scenery. "Something happened during your first year in high school, right?"

"How'd you learn about that?" Makoto was surprised to hear that the incident had become common knowledge.

"Nah, it's not like I actually know or anything." Kazushi waved his hand back and forth. "It doesn't take a genius to know that something must have happened during that time. You were the national champion for three straight years and all of a sudden, you weren't anymore. I thought that you just lost to someone during that tournament, but a club member who looked up the information told me that you didn't even participate in it. For someone like you to not even join the tournament, there must've been something important that prevented you from doing so."

"Well, I…"

"No need to explain," Kazushi said as he placed a palm in front of him. "It's not like I'm trying to pry into your personal life. I just want to let you know what the other members are thinking." The two then became silent for a while and the only thing they heard was the quiet chatter from the students below.

"If you continue to take one step forward and two steps back, then you'll never actually move forward from where you start, right?" Makoto asked as he continued to look down the building.

"Well, yeah." Kazushi was confused at the sudden change in topic.

"Yeah…that's pretty obvious. What if there are times when you get so heated and passionate during a match that you lose control of yourself?"

"Lose control?" Kazushi was becoming more confused the longer their conversation continued. When he realized that Makoto was asking a serious question, he thought long and hard about it. "We all get emotional when we duel someone. Especially if that person is equal to you or stronger than you. Happens all the time. The only thing we can do is become stronger."

"Stronger?"

"Yeah, it's not like I need to tell you, but isn't a basic teaching of kendo is to become stronger physically _and_ mentally? When our minds become mentally stronger, we become more discipline and we learn to control our emotions better."

Makoto then stared at Kazushi with eyes full of shock and his mouth was hanging wide opened. What Kazushi had just explained was something he learned on the very first lesson. It seemed that after the incident, he had forgotten that principle and thought of strength as only a physical aspect. A way for him to avoid succumbing to his emotions and hurting someone was to have a stronger control of his emotions. In theory, he could even overpower any supernatural voice that tries to sway him. Ironically, he feared his own strength, but the key to overcoming the problem was to become even stronger.

"Ha ha ha ha," Makoto laughed as he covered his face with his hand. "To think it was so simple."

"Hey, are you okay?" Kazushi was concerned about Makoto's sudden change in attitude.

"Yeah, everything's fine. But more importantly, I think I'll attend practice from now on."

"Really? I don't know what I said to change your mind, but it seemed to have done the trick. Well, I think I've accomplished what I set out to do so I'm going to head back into the classroom."

"Alright, I'll see you there." Kazushi left the rooftop and Makoto went back to eating his lunch. All the while, he was thinking how stupid he was.

* * *

**3:05 P.M. Class 2-F**

"So, are you ready?" Kazushi asked Makoto when classes were over.

"Are you going to kendo practice, Makoto-kun?" Yukari asked when she heard Kazushi talking to Makoto.

"Yeah."

"I see," Yukari said with a smile. "Then good luck."

"Good luck?" Junpei said. "He's just going to practice, it's not like he's entering a tournament."

"Anyway, I'll see you guys later at the dorm," Makoto said.

"Don't work too hard, tonight's the night you know?" Junpei warned.

"What's tonight?" Kazushi asked as he looked at them with a curious expression.

"N-Nothing, it's just that we have to clean the dorm's lounge." Yukari answered with the first thing that came to her mind. "A few days ago, Junpei made a mess of things so we have to clean it."

"What!" Junpei shouted. "I didn't-." Yukari then gave him a look that told him to remain silent about the matter. After he caught on what she was thinking, he said, "Y-Yeah, we're going to clean the lounge tonight and we need Makoto at his best to help."

"Is that so?" Kazushi said before turning to Makoto. "I guess today, you can just give out pointers to the kouhais so you can keep your strength up for tonight."

"Okay." Makoto walked with Kazushi to the locker rooms to change their clothes before going to the training hall.

* * *

"Everybody, listen up," Kazushi announced to the club members. "Makoto has decided to grace us with his appearance today. He won't be sparring with anybody today for reasons I don't want to get into. However, he will give you tips and pointers if you ask him. That's all, now let's get to practice." Kazushi walked away and began sparring with another club member.

"Senpai?" A club member approached Makoto. "Can you help me with my training?"

"Uh, sure."

"Can you help me afterwards?" Another member asked Makoto.

"Yeah. I'll get to you as soon as I'm done." Makoto then spent almost two hours helping the kouhais who didn't have much experience in kendo. While he didn't actually spar with anyone, he still thought it was a step forward nonetheless.

* * *

**7:12 P.M. Minatodai Dorm**

When Makoto returned to the dorm, he saw Mitsuru and Junpei on the couches. Mitsuru was reading a book while Junpei was reading a magazine.

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted when she saw Makoto. "For your information, the internet line, which was ripped apart by the Shadow, will be fixed tomorrow. You can now connect to the internet if you need to. Well, that takes care of everything that was damaged except, of course, Akihiko's rib cage."

"Oh, nice one, senpai," Junpei laughed at Mitsuru's joke before turning to Makoto. "Speaking of the internet, you play any online games?"

"A little bit during Junior High."

"I recently bought Innocent Sin Online when I saw it on sale online. It even came with two extra copies so I could share it with people. Seeing as how we have a day off tomorrow, how about playing it?"

"I got nothing else to do so, alright."

"Cool, we're going to have a blast tomorrow." Makoto then headed upstairs to his room. On his way, he saw Yukari walking down the stairs.

"Yukari-san, thanks for making me face my problem," Makoto said when she was within a few feet. "I think I can move on now."

"You're welcome," she said, but Makoto didn't hear it as he had already left.

* * *

**Wednesday 4/29/2009**** 10:30 A.M. Minatodai Lounge**

The residents of Minatodai Dorm were off from school because it was Showa Day. Akihiko had left to train somewhere and Mitsuru had said she had business to take care of. Makoto and Junpei were at the dining table installing the game on their laptops when Yukari walked downstairs.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked.

"Because today is a holiday, were planning to relax with an MMO game," Junpei answered. "If you have nothing planned, then why don't you join us?"

"Well…" Yukari thought about it for a while. She wasn't going to do anything today except her homework and study. Because she didn't play any video games when she was growing up, she thought it was about time she tried it out. "Okay. I'll grab my laptop then."

After thirty minutes of setting everything up, the three of them were ready to begin. Junpei and Makoto sat on one side of the table while Yukari sat on the other side. "First we should set up and register our characters," Junpei said.

"By the way, what is this game about?" Yukari asked.

"It's a game that takes place in a fictitious city in modern day Japan. One day, the city was magically transported into an apocalyptic fantasy world. The city was then besieged by demons and monsters. They killed and slaughtered the humans, but certain inhabitants of the city had magically acquired special powers that enabled them to defeat the demons. Because technology didn't work in this world, the humans had to resort to using the medieval weapons found in that world along with their powers to protect themselves and to survive. Thus begins the war with the demons. Now that I think about it, the story is just like our situation, right? Young people with special powers who are the only ones who can save the world."

"I guess. The creator probably watches too many anime," Makoto said.

"Probably," Junpei said. "Okay, I'm just about done. What did you name your character, Makoto?" He looked over into Makoto's screen and read the profile. "Minato? Couldn't you use something unique? Sure, the characters are supposed to be Japanese, but they're supposed to be using code names in this fantasy world."

"I don't really care about that," Makoto said.

"What did you call yourself, Junpei?" Yukari asked.

"Hermes, of course."

"Hmm, not bad. I think I'll call my character Io, then."

After a few more minutes, they were done and their characters entered the world. They started in the middle of an empty intersection. Many tall buildings were around them and they were mostly in ruins. It was as if a typhoon had flown through the area and back.

The three had created characters that resembled themselves in the face and hair. Makoto had chosen the Assassin class so his character wielded twin blades and dressed in dark blue slacks and a black hooded sweatshirt. He had a red scarf that covered most of the bottom half of his face. Junpei's character was the warrior type that wielded a long broadsword. He wore a black leather jacket, black leather pants, and a white t-shirt underneath. Yukari's character was the archer class so she wielded a bow and was dressed in pink miniskirt, long brown boots, and a skimpy white top that exposed her midriff and showed her generous cleavage.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan…very sexy," Junpei said as he was on the verge of drooling. Makoto gave Yukari a thumbs up.

"W-What? I think it's cute."

"If you say so." Junpei continued to stare at her avatar.

"We should get started," Makoto interrupted. "I think the first dungeon we should go to is the Arcadian Ruins. It has a difficulty rating of only one star."

"Okay, then that's where we're heading to then," Junpei declared. Their characters walked down the street and entered a blue portal where they were magically teleported into the ruins. It was relatively dark with the only light source coming from the torches lining up the dusty gray walls. It looked like they were inside a castle's dungeon.

They walked down the hallway until they encountered some green lizard monsters with swords and shields. "They're only level one so we should just fight them directly," Makoto ordered.

"Okay…wait why am I still taking orders from you when we're in a game?" Junpei asked.

"Who cares, just do it!" Yukari shouted.

"Okay, fine. Take this." Junpei activated one of his character class' special ability, which allowed him to shoot out blue energy beams at the lizards that sliced them into mincemeat. Yukari fired a few arrows before she activated one of her special abilities, imbedding elemental effects into the arrows. She used the ice element and began shooting ice arrows that froze the lizards upon impact. One of Makoto's ability was to turn invisible for a limited time. With that, he crept up behind a lizard and cut its throat in one swift motion. Before the other lizards notice him, he did the same thing to them.

"Whew, that was actually pretty easy," Yukari said when they had defeated the mob.

"This is just the beginning," Junpei said. The three of them continued exploring the dungeon until they reached where they believed was the end. In the middle of the room was a large golden treasure chest.

"So I guess, this is our reward for completing the dungeon," Makoto said. "Although, shouldn't there be a boss or something?" He looked around to see if they were actually safe.

"Yeah, that is weird," Junpei said. "Oh well, let's just get the treasure and leave."

"Not so fast!" A voice yelled from the shadows. A moment later, a person appeared from the corner of the room. She was a woman dressed in a black robe and large pointy hat. She was also wielding a brown staff. Because of the way the hat leaned forward, they couldn't see the top half of her face.

Makoto moved the mouse so the pointer was on the character. A mini profile popped up and it said that the character's name was "Maya" and she was a level 100 magician.

"Who are you?" Junpei shouted through his headset.

"My name is Maya and I'm the one who defeated the boss before you got here," She answered. Her voice sounded like she was in her late twenties and was vaguely familiar to the three of them.

"What do you want?" Yukari asked.

"I just want to relieve some stress on a day off."

"By defeating low level demons?" Makoto asked.

"Nope, by defeating low level noobs." A yellow magic circle then appeared under Maya and energy began accumulating in her hands.

"Run!" Makoto shouted, but it was too late because the spell had activated.

"Explosion!" Maya shouted. A fiery red ball of energy appeared near the three of them and instantly erupted into an explosion, killing their characters. The screen faded white and then they found themselves back in the city's intersection with less gold than before.

"What the hell was that?" Junpei yelled.

"I think we just got PK'd," Makoto said.

"Can she even do that?" Yukari asked.

"In these types of games, she can," Makoto replied.

"Damn that woman!" Junpei banged his fist onto the table. "Can't believe she did that just to relieve stress. What does she do in real life anyway? That's it, I'm going to someday take down that bitch."

"Yeah, you can count on me," Makoto agreed.

"Even I'm getting pissed off," Yukari said with surprising intensity. "I wasn't planning on playing this game for long, but I do want revenge."

"Okay, now that we have our goal, let's level up so we can be on even ground," Junpei said. The three of them spent most of the day playing the game, but they didn't see the Maya character again that day.

* * *

**Friday 5/1/2009**** 7:50 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

Yukari didn't have morning practice today so she walked with Makoto to school.

"It's getting warmer, huh?" She said when they were near the gate. "Well, it is May already. It's amazing how time flies."

"That's true." Makoto replied.

"So much has been happening. You know, it doesn't it seem like the number of Apathy Syndrome cases have been decreasing lately. We're the only ones who can fight the Shadows, so I guess we should train more, so that we're ready if anything like THAT comes up again. Me especially. I don't wanna be a burden on everyone else."

"Don't worry. You're not," Makoto assured her. "You're the only one who can heal us so you're definitely important."

"You know, that doesn't make me feel any better."

* * *

**3:02 P.M. Class 2-F**

"Later guys, I gotta go," Junpei suddenly said to Makoto and Yukari who were still sitting down in their seats. "FYI, Akihiko-senpai is at the hospital getting a checkup. He called me earlier, and asked me to bring him something. Yup, he knows who to count on."

"Thanks for explaining something I didn't asked," Makoto said in a sarcastic tone.

"He only asked you because you don't have anything else to do after school," Yukari said.

"H-Hey, I resent that."

"I'm just kidding. So, what'd he want you to bring?"

"The class roster for 2-E." Junpei took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"What's he want that for? Well, I don't have practice today, so I'll go with you. Makoto-kun, you're coming too, right? I heard the kendo club has the day off as well."

"Eh, I was thinking of going to the mall and checking out some CDs."

"Come on, now. I'm sure he wants us there too. It sounds important, doesn't it?"

"I guess I'll go too then," Makoto said as he let out a sigh.

"Dude, he asked ME, you know," Junpei grumbled to himself.

* * *

**3:30 P.M. Tatsumi Memorial Hospital**

Makoto, Yukari, and Junpei walked into the room where Akihiko was supposed to be getting a check up. The room was similar to the one Makoto had been in; there was a bed, hospital equipment, and a chair. They were surprised to find somebody other than Akihiko in the room. Sitting on the chair was a young man wearing a large maroon colored coat and a black beanie. He eyed them with suspicion as he kept his hands tucked inside his coat pockets.

"Um…is Akihiko-senpai…in this room by any chance?" Junpei asked. He looked like he was scared of the stranger who only continued to stare at the three of them.

"What are all of you guys doing here?" Akihiko asked after he walked into the room.

"We came to see you," Yukari said before looking at his arm. "It doesn't seem like anything's wrong with you."

"I'm just here for a checkup." The young man in the beanie then stood up and walked to Akihiko.

"Is that it, Aki?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Tch…I don't have time for this shit." The young man began walking out of the room and Junpei had to move aside to let him through.

"Wh-Who was that?" Junpei asked when he thought the stranger was out of earshot.

"A friend from school…sort of." Akihiko answered nonchalantly. "You know how the number of Apathy Syndrome cases have been increasing? Well, he knows a few people who are suffering from it, so I was asking him about it. Hey Junpei, did you bring what I asked?"

"Of course, senpai." Junpei took out the Class 2-E's roster and handed to Akihiko who immediately looked through it. After he was satisfied at what he read, Akihiko nodded his head and punched the air with his injured arm.

"Uh, you shouldn't move your arm…" Junpei warned.

"It's nothing," Akihiko replied with a wave to dismiss Junpei's worry. "I've wasted enough time already. I need to get back to my training."

"Yeah, Gekkoukan's golden boy!" Junpei pumped his arm into the air. "He was born to be in the ring!" Akihiko shook his head at Junpei's sudden outburst.

"Sometimes, I really don't get you."

"Me too," Makoto muttered.

"By the way senpai, why boxing?" Yukari asked.

"You mean, why did I choose that sport? Well, it's not the sport itself I like; I just wanted to learn how to fight. I know what it's like to feel powerless and I don't want to feel that way again." For a second, Akihiko's face was full of regret as he reflected on a past unknown to the others in the room. It only lasted a moment and his expression turned back into a confident and competitive person. "Besides, I'm curious to see how strong I can get. It's like a game, only that I'm competing against myself."

"That's an interesting way of looking at it," Junpei mused. Makoto then nodded his head with a good understanding of what Akihiko had meant. He too had been an athlete who tried to reach his potential.

"I'm done here, so let's return to the dorm now," Akihiko said as he grabbed his coat.

* * *

**4:15 P.M. Minatodai Dorm Lounge**

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted when the four of them returned. "A long weekend is coming up, so it's a good time to visit Tartarus. It may take some time for Akihiko to fully heal, and I don't want anything like that to happen again. Besides, the number of victims seems to have been increasing. I have a bad feeling about that. We had best muster as much strength as we can."

"Oh right, Golden Week is next week," Makoto said.

"If I was fully healed, then I would go to Tartarus every night this weekend," Akihiko said with a look of regret.

"Every night? I wanted to take the chance and sleep in for a change," Junpei protested.

"Me too," Makoto agreed.

"I'm actually fine with that," Yukari said. "I feel like I need more practice fighting the Shadows."

"That's a good attitude, Takeba," Mitsuru said. "We have to do what we can to stop the Shadows. Although, it might put too much pressure on the junior members so we will continue as planned."

* * *

**Saturday 5/2/2009**** 7:56 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

When Makoto arrived at the school gate, he saw Girl A and Girl B talking as usual.

"Golden Week starts tomorrow," Girl A said with excitement. "Have you got any plans?"

"Ehh, not really. But I'm not gonna miss tomorrow's show!"

"Oh yeah! You mean Tanaka's show? When I hear that jingle, I can't resist buying something. I never miss it when it's on Sunday at noon. I'm about to go broke!"

Makoto didn't know who Tanaka was or what his show was about, but he did become curious about it as he eavesdropped on their conversation. He made a mental note to check out the program this Sunday.

* * *

**7:03 P.M. Minatodai Dorm Lounge**

"S'up, dude," Junpei greeted Makoto from the dining table. "Three-day weekend starting tomorrow! I asked some peeps if they wanted to hang out, but the only ones interested were guys. Man, I don't want no sausage fest." Yukari let out a laugh from where she sat on the couch before turning to Makoto.

"What about you, Makoto-kun?"

"I'm going to study and catch up on my school work."

"Study? There's so much to do out there than hole yourself in your room studying," Junpei said with great exaggeration.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but need I remind you that midterms are quickly approaching?" Mitsuru said from the couch. "You had best use your time wisely." She then returned to reading her book.

"You had to remind me," Yukari said with a sigh.

"Crap, I've completely forgotten we have tests." Junpei shook his head disappointedly. "I was so preoccupied with Tartarus and Shadows that it skipped my mind."

"At least you know now," Makoto replied before heading to his room.

* * *

**Dark Hour: Makoto's Room**

A few minutes after Makoto returned from Tartarus and went to sleep; he was awoken by a familiar voice.

"Hi, how've you been?" Makoto opened his eyes and saw the mysterious boy in black and white stripes pajamas. He was sitting at the foot of the bed and as always, he had that same mysterious smile that made it seemed like he knew more about Makoto then he did himself.

"Whoa, you again?" Makoto was startled once again at the boy's sudden appearance. When his mind calmed down, he groaned and said, "I wish you would pick a better night to randomly appear in my room."

"It seems like you just got back from that tower so you must be exhausted," the boy said with remorse. "My apologies, however, I will appear in front of you when I have to."

"Fine…it's not like I can do anything about it," Makoto said with a sigh. "So, what do you want now?"

"One week from now, there will be a full moon. Be careful, a new ordeal awaits you."

"What kind of ordeal?" Makoto had forgotten his fatigue and had become more attentive.

"You will encounter one of THEM."

"Them…" Makoto pondered. "You mean like that big one that attacked the dorm?"

"Yes."

"And when you said, "full moon", is that important?"

"Yes, on such days you will face very difficult challenges. You must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence. I'm sure you're aware of that, of course." The boy then disappeared and reappeared near the door. "I'll come see you again when it's over."

"Wait, I need more details," Makoto shouted as he stretched his arm out, but the boy had already disappeared. Instead of going straight to sleep, Makoto reflected on what had transpired and what to do from there.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII: Two Ordeals in One Night**

**Sunday 5/3/2009**** 7:15 A.M. Makoto's Room**

When Makoto woke up, he recalled yesterday's event with the mysterious boy. He learned a few crucial things and he wanted to tell the others about it because it pertained to them as well. However, he had no idea if the boy was even telling the truth and he didn't know how to approach the subject without making him sound like a lunatic. After careful consideration, he thought the best step to take was to wait it out and be cautious on that specific day.

Today however, Golden Week has begun with Constitution Day and he planned to make the most of it. Although, he was secretly angry that Golden Week started on a Sunday this year because the break is essentially one day shorter. He checked the time and saw that it was still early so he decided to go out for a morning run.

* * *

**11:59 A.M. Makoto's Room**

After Makoto returned from his run, he showered and remembered that Tanaka's show was about to begin. He sat down on the bed and turned on the T.V. A few seconds later, he heard an irritating yet catchy song play. It sounded something like a few salarymen would chant when they were drunk after a day's hard work. When the song was finished, the singers began introducing the star of the show.

_"Here comes Tanakaaaaa over the airwaves to youuuuu!"_ A middle-aged man with slightly wavy black hair in a gray suit appeared on the screen. His slanting eyes and shifty smile made him look like someone who swindled people for a hobby.

_ "Hello everyone! Welcome to the home shopping show, "Tanaka's Amazing Commodities"!_

_ "Granter of your desires!"_ The singers continued.

_"I'm your host, Tanaka, with a live presentation of my Amazing Commodities. We'll show you great items at unbeatable prices! Ooh, you won't be able to touch that dial! Let's bring out our item of the day!"_ With a wave of his hand, a pair of unattractive blue and white sneakers appeared on the screen. It looked like something an elementary student designed. _"It iiiiiiiiiis…Max Safety Shoes! Functional and fashionable! Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's wonderfulness! But wait, there's more! We'll throw in 3 Super Diet Food for only 10,000 Yen!"_

When Makoto saw the price, he turned the T.V. off because the price was ridiculous for something cheap looking and for diet food that wouldn't even cost that much to begin with. He shook his head in condolence for the people who were suckered into buying the product. It was probably because the song that played in the background had somehow influence people into doing things that they wouldn't normally do. There was something about it that he couldn't place his finger on. Whoever wrote that song was a genius.

Makoto headed downstairs to get something for lunch. When he finished, he returned to his room and studied for most of the day.

* * *

**Tuesday 5/5/2009**** Dark Hour: Tartarus 14****th**** Floor**

Makoto had spent all of Monday and part of today studying for the midterms. When it was time for the Dark Hour, the S.E.E.S. members went to Tartarus and they tried to climb as many floors as they could before the end of Golden Week. When they reached the 14th Floor, they were surprised to see no Shadows lurking around. During their climb, Mitsuru had eluded to a powerful Shadow on this floor so they were all pumped up and ready to go. However, the only thing that welcomed them was the silence.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," Junpei said as he looked around. "I was just about ready to kick some ass."

"I think it's better this way," Yukari said. "Who knows what that Shadow can do to us."

"Everyone, I've located the Shadow and its heading your way!" Mitsuru shouted from the transceiver.

"Where?" Makoto found the answer to his question when he felt the rumbling of the ground.

"What the…something's big heading our way!" Junpei cried as he tried to keep from falling over. They heard something approaching them from the large hallway in front of them. It sounded like it was moving fast as the time between the heavy stomping of its feet was short. Before long, a large creature with sky blue coating appeared from where the noise was. It looked mechanical because Makoto could hear the sounds of gears moving and the body looked like it was steel plated. It had four short legs that were slightly bending as if it was crouching. Its arms were ten-foot long spears and on its face was a yellow mask with two holes for eyes.

"I guess Shadows do come in all sizes and shapes," Makoto said in awe. The Shadow that was as tall as a one-story building charged like a wild horse when it noticed them. "Get out of the way!" The three of them were able to avoid the oncoming attack, but the wind generated from the dash knocked them away. Thinking that the Shadow's large body made it difficult to turn around, Makoto said, "Attack it while it has its back turned to us!"

Yukari loaded an arrow while Junpei and Makoto dashed forward. However, they came to an immediate screeching halt when the Shadow's upper body rotated 180 degrees without moving its legs. Now, it was looking at them straight ahead.

"Shit, it's coming at us, again!" Junpei yelled.

"Split up and evade!" Makoto ordered. As the three of them moved further away from each other, the Shadow decided to chase Makoto who was the closest. He ran with all his might, but the Shadow was gaining massive ground. When it got within a few feet of Makoto, it spun its upper body like the spinning of a helicopter's rotor blades. Even though the arms didn't reach him, he did feel like it had cut the hair on the back of his neck. If he had been any slower, then he would have been reduced to shreds.

"Makoto-kun!" Yukari shouted as she fired a few arrows at the Shadow. It didn't look like it did any damage, but it did caught its attention as it rotated its body once more and was now chasing after Yukari.

"Take this!" Junpei summoned Hermes and he threw fireballs at the Shadow. The attack seemed to have done some damage as the Shadow shortly stopped.

"I've analyzed the enemy!" Mitsuru announced. "It is invulnerable to all physical attacks and it is strong against all elemental attacks."

"That doesn't leave us many options," Makoto muttered.

"If you think you can't handle it, then return to the lobby via the teleporter in the corner of the room," Mitsuru said.

"What should we do, Makoto-kun?" Yukari asked as the Shadow begun chasing after her again. If they decided to retreat, then they could easily reach the teleporter in time. If they choose to fight it, then it would be a long and difficult battle. The Shadow was strong against elemental attacks, but that doesn't mean it can't be injured by it. Even if they retreated, they would undoubtedly have to face it again anyway. If they tried to run past the stairs, the Shadow would likely chase after them and a fight would ensue as well. After thinking about the options, Makoto thought it was better to defeat it here and now.

"We fight," Makoto ordered. "It may be fast, but there's only one of it so we should be able to dodge its attack so long as we don't get up close and the other teammates will distract it by using elemental attacks. We stay separated at all times and we try to surround it as we attack it. We'll continue this process until it goes down."

"Sounds like a plan," Junpei declared as Hermes released more fire attacks at the Shadow. Now, it began chasing Junpei. Makoto summoned Oberon and shot out thunderbolts that stunned it for a few seconds. When it recovered, it chased after Makoto. Yukari then summoned Io and she released a wind attack. Even though the Shadow had suffered damage from the wind blades, it ignored Yukari and did a spinning attack to Makoto who was able to dodge it. After continuously shooting it with wind attacks, the Shadow finally changed its attention to Yukari and chased after her. Junpei and Makoto used this chance to attack it with fire and electric attacks. The combined attacks had caused significant damage because they noticed that the Shadow's speed had noticeably decreased.

The junior members continued this pattern until they heard something clogging the Shadow's gears and it then came to a stop. It looked like it suffered severe internal injuries and its system was fried as smoke streamed out of its body. After a few seconds, it exploded leaving nothing behind.

"Yeah, we did it!" Yukari shouted as she caught her breath.

"Whew," Junpei exhaled as he leaned on his sword. "It's been a while since we face something so strong. Maybe since those damn beetles on the first floor."

"And just like before, we made it out alive," Makoto said.

"Good work," Mitsuru said. "Judging by that Shadow's strength, I believe it is a Guardian of sorts so you should expect to see more like it as we climb further. Other than this floor, we only climbed one floor today so I will let you decide on whether you want to continue or not."

Makoto was tired from the battle, but he did feel like he could continue further. He looked at the others and saw that they were tired as well, but surprisingly, they were smiling. It was as if the adrenaline from the battle had remained in their bodies so they looked like they still had an abundant of energy left.

"I'm still good to go, how about you guys?" Makoto asked.

"If you're good, then I'm good," Junpei said with a grin.

"I might as well go, too," Yukari said with a smile. "We've only just begun."

"Okay, then let's go," Makoto said.

The three of them walked down the hallway until they saw a set of stairs. On the subsequent floor, they fought all of the Shadows they encountered with relative ease and climbed the stairs to the 16th floor. When they arrived on that floor, they were surprised to see a completely different room from what they had seen before. They were on a small floating platform of a few feet in each direction. The walls were dozens of feet away from the platform and the only thing near them was a teleporter and a set of stairs leading up. However, there was a pile of desks blocking the path.

"What the, is this the top?" Junpei asked. "Guess not, since the stairs are there." Yukari walked up to where the desks were.

"Ahhh!" She screamed as she was pushed backward. "There's some kind of force here preventing me from going any further." Makoto walked to the desks and slowly moved his palm forward. It was pushed back when it met with something invisible.

"Guess this is the end for us," Makoto said. Junpei then moved to the edge of the platform. He went down on his knees and slowly crept forward until he was able to look down over the edge. All he saw was a dark bottomless pit.

"Helllooooo, can you hear me, Mitsuru-senpai?" Junpei shouted into the abyss, creating an echo.

"I can hear you just fine, Iori," Mitsuru replied from the transceiver. "Seeing as how we can't go any further, you should return to the lobby." The three used the teleporter and was brought back into the lobby.

"Welcome back," Akihiko greeted. "I hope this isn't the end of the line because I haven't got a chance to fight the Shadows in Tartarus, yet." He then punched his palm in frustration.

"We'll continue to visit Tartarus as scheduled," Mitsuru said. "Something may happen that will allow us to go further. So, until then, we will continue to use the opportunity to train in case another powerful Shadow shows itself outside of Tartarus." When Mitsuru mentioned a powerful Shadow, Makoto suddenly remembered the mysterious boy's warning. If another strong Shadow was going to appear, then they need all the training they could get. "For now, we should leave because tomorrow is a school day."

* * *

**Wednesday 5/6/2009**** 7:55 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

When Makoto walked to school, he felt his fatigue catching up to him. Even though the three of them were so Gung-ho last night, they quickly collapsed in exhaustion when they got back to the dorm. A few hours later, Makoto was still feeling its effect and it became hard for him to concentrate. Luckily, his body remembered the path to school so he relied on it and remained oblivious to most of his surroundings. However, he was still somehow able to identify Girl A and Girl B talking when he got neared the gate.

"Golden Week is over," Girl B said with a sigh. "I'm pretty sad…You know, rabbits can die from sadness."

"Okay, first, you're not a rabbit," Girl A said as she raised her index finger. "And second, that's just a rumor."

"What? No way! I thought it was scientific fact…But speaking of being sad, I saw an elementary school kid at Naganaki Shrine the last time I visited. She looked so sad playing all by herself. I felt sorry for her."

Makoto felt sorry for the girl as well. Whether she was lonely because her parents weren't there for her or that she didn't really have any friends, the pain was the same. He would like to help her, but he wasn't in any position to do so.

* * *

**10:05 A.M. Class 2-F**

Makoto had Chemistry class today and the science teacher, Ounishi-sensei, was teaching it. She wore a white lab coat and a purple skirt. She had glasses on and her hair was tied up to look more formal.

"I don't feel like teaching today," She said with a sigh. "I was watching T.V. last night, and there was a special on weight loss. "The more you drink, the thinner you get!" Yeah, right! What about the osmotic pressure, huh? It's misinformation, but people believe what they see on T.V. You remember that craze about the soap that makes you thinner? That was more bull. Soap is but fatty acid salt. You know how soap works, right? You look like you know the answer, Yuki-kun so surprise me." Makoto stood up when his name was called. "Is soap acidic, basic, or neutral?"

Makoto was sure that he never learned anything about soap. Luckily, for him Ounishi-sensei gave him three choices so all he had to do was guess right. He played a counting game in his mind and decided to go with the third choice.

"…Basic."

"You got it. I guess you're smarter than you look," she said with admiration. "Human skin is slightly acidic, so rubbing a base on it can irritate your skin. You know those pH-balanced "soaps"? They're most likely synthetic detergents, since soaps are basic. Don't believe everything you see on T.V., kids! All right, moving on…"

Makoto sat back down and silently sighed. He wondered if the classes here were hard or that it was just randomly strange.

* * *

**Thursday 5/7/2009**** 7:12 P.M. Minatodai Dorm Lounge**

When Makoto returned to the dorm, he was surprised to see Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru and Akihiko all sitting in the lounge. It was rare for the four of them to be in the same room. Yukari was painting her nails, Junpei was playing a game on his PSP, Mitsuru was reading a book and Akihiko was stitching his gloves.

"S'up, dude?" Junpei greeted. "Hey, have you noticed how many of those freaks there are in town lately? Other than that, nothing's been going on. Man, talk about boring. We're going to Tartarus today, right?"

"Maybe I should come along," Akihiko said as he took a break from stitching his gloves. "I'm dying of boredom, too."

"Akihiko, are you trying to make me angry?" Mitsuru said in a threatening tone. She didn't even lift her eyes from her book.

"Uh…never mind," Akihiko said with a sigh.

"We will be going to Tartarus again tonight," Mitsuru said. "We have to make sure that the blockage is still there. If it is, we will just use that visit as a training expedition."

Later that night, they went to Tartarus and saw that the staircase to the seventeenth floor was still blocked.

* * *

**Friday 5/8/2009**** 7:00 P.M. Minatodai Dorm Lounge**

Today, only Mitsuru and Akihiko were in the lounge when Makoto got back.

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted. "You know, it's odd how quiet it's been."

"You're referring to the Shadows, I take it?" Akihiko asked.

"It's been a month since the last attack, yet I'm certain that won't be the last time they appear outside of Tartarus."

"True. Lately, it seems like The Lost are everywhere. So, something must be going on."

"Are we going to Tartarus tomorrow?" Makoto asked Mitsuru.

"I was planning on it, but seeing as how we can't go any further, we should wait until another day. You could use the break."

"I see." Makoto then walked back to his room thinking how it was better that they be at the dorm should something happen tomorrow night.

* * *

**Saturday 5/9/2009**** 3:12 A.M. Minatodai Dorm Rooftop**

Three angels stood on the edge of the rooftop as they watched the mostly sleeping city. They were waiting for the arrival of there companion who had left to find an important object. About ten minutes later, a glowing light appeared on the rooftop and out stepped the female angel with long green hair.

"Did you get it?" The golden haired angel asked.

"Yes, it was where you said it would be." The female angel took out a glass orb the size of a baseball from her pocket. It was faintly glowing white.

"So, will that tell us if _he_ is the one?" The blue haired angel asked.

"This was a special object that _he_ left behind that had only ever reacted to _his _power," the golden haired angel replied. "If that child is the one, then it will show a similar reaction." He took the orb and the four of them slowly moved down the building until they were looking into Makoto's room. The angel teleported into the room and moved the orb near Makoto's body. At first, the orb showed no change, but it then began glowing brightly.

The angels teleported again and were back on the roof.

"Then he really is…" The female angel said.

"He is clearly the one," the angel with red haired determined. "Although, the son of the Night Queen stills bothers me."

"Now I am certain, _they_ had played some role for his existence in the child," the golden haired angel said.

"What should we do now that we know _he_ is the one and of _their_ treachery? Remember, the appearance of _those_ Shadows means that The Fall has begun."

"Here is what we will do. It is unfortunate, but because The Fall has begun, we are prohibited from directly interfering in the ordeal. We can only watch him from afar and wait until it is over. In the event that any of us encounters him, we must not mention our mission. I feel that he is still too young to understand his destiny. We might have to make contact should any of _them_ appear."

"Do you think the humans will survive The Fall?" The female angel asked.

"With what I have seen, there is a very unlikely chance that they will. We can only pray that they somehow make it through."

"Well, at least we have found what we were looking for," the blue haired angel said. "The only thing left to do is wait. What's only a few more months compared to the thousands of years we spent looking for him?"

* * *

**7:50 A.M. Gekkoukan Front Gates**

"Hey," Akihiko waved at Makoto when he saw him. "I think this is the first time we actually met in the morning."

"That's true. Don't you usually work out in the morning?"

"You heard that from Mitsuru? Well, that's right. I usually train until seven o' clock before leaving for school. Today though, I trained a little longer because my arm was feeling better."

"Recently, I've been doing an early morning run as well."

"Is that so? We should run together sometime. I also heard that you joined the kendo club and that you were a national champion. I'd love to challenge someone like you to a match."

"Yeah, me too."

"Serious athletes are all the same," Akihiko said with a laugh. "We are always looking for stronger opponents in order to reach our potential."

* * *

**3:01 P.M. Class 2-F**

When classes were over, Makoto decided to go home early to prepare himself for a possible ordeal tonight. He had a quick dinner and went to bed at around 8 p.m. The only thing left to do was wait.

* * *

**Dark Hour: Minatodai Dorm Command Room**

Mitsuru was sitting on a couch as she tinkered with a device that looked like a radio on the table. A static noise could be heard from the object. After a while, Mitsuru sighed as Akihiko walked into the room.

"You're still at it?"

"Yeah. You never know when the enemy might appear." Mitsuru leaned back into the couch and took a break from her search.

"But, I thought you couldn't scan outside of Tartarus?"

"To be honest, I lack the power. Maybe this is the best Penthesilea can do in terms of data gathering…Although, the power of Persona seems to be much broader than I thought. We've even have someone like Yuki who has multiple Personas and can switch them in the middle of battle. Is the Persona power continuously evolving or is it that Yuki is simply special. It hasn't been that long since his awakening, either."

"I have to admit, I was surprised too. Just what are the limits of his potential?" Mitsuru didn't answer him, but returned to her search.

"Huh?...It's a Shadow!" She exclaimed as she stopped moving the dial.

"What? You actually found one?" Akihiko moved closer to the radio to see if he could hear anything.

"Wait, something's not right. The reading is too big. We've never encountered anything like-."

"You mean, it's one of _those_?"

"…It must be."

"Well then, this is gonna be fun," Akihiko said with a large grin. "I'll wake up the others." Mitsuru nodded as Akihiko walked to the console and pressed a button. A blaring sound resounded throughout the dorm like an alarm. A few minutes later, Makoto, Junpei and Yukari walked into the room.

"We're here," Yukari announced.

"Where is it? I'll rip it a new one!" Junpei said as he clenched his fist.

"We've detected a Shadow outside of Tartarus. We don't know for sure, but we think it's another big one. We have to defeat any of them we find, as quickly as possible. Most people don't know the Dark Hour exists. But, if half the city is destroyed, there will be panic. That must be avoided at all costs."

"In other words, we need to kick some ass, right? Well, count me in!" Junpei pointed a thumb at himself.

"Junpei…" Yukari said with a sigh and shook her head.

"Akihiko, you stay here and wait for the Chairman," Mitsuru said.

"Wha-? Are you kidding? I'm going!"

"You still need to recover. You'll just be a hindrance."

"Tch!"

"They'll fare better than you, in your current state. Have faith in them, Akihiko. They're ready. You'll get your chance. But for now, wait for the Chairman."

"Dammit!" Akihiko slammed his fist onto the console.

"Relax! I've got it covered!" Junpei reassured him.

"I guess I've got no choice." Akihiko turned to Makoto. "You're in charge."

"Him again?" Junpei exclaimed.

"He has proven to be an effective leader so it makes sense for him to be the leader in this operation," Mitsuru said. "We're counting on you, Yuki."

"Yeah," Makoto replied with a nod.

"Heh, looks like you're stuck playing leader again," Junpei said in a solemn tone. "Sucks to be you."

"You should let the three of them go first," Akihiko said to Mitsuru. "If you're providing backup out there, you'll need time to get ready, right?"

"Okay, wait for me in front of the station," she ordered the junior members. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Got it," Yukari said with a nod. "Alright, let's go!"

* * *

**Iwatodai Station**

After arriving at the station, the three waited for Mitsuru on the steps near the entrance. Makoto and Junpei were thirsty so they went to get something at the vending machine. However, when they remembered that electronics didn't work during the Dark Hour, they went to the nearby convenience store and took two drinks. They left the payment on the cashier counter.

"Where is she?" Yukari asked as she looked up at the eerie green sky.

"She'll be here soon," Junpei said before taking a drink from his bottle.

"There's a full moon tonight…But, it looks creepier during the Dark Hour."

Makoto looked up at the moon and recalled the mysterious boy's warning. He learned that on nights where there was a full moon, he would face difficult challenges. So far, it seems that the boy was right about something happening. As to whether the challenge was going to be difficult, he had to wait and see.

"Huh? What the?" Junpei stood up when he saw flashing lights and the sound of an engine approaching them. Mitsuru appeared on a white motorcycle with a piece of equipment on the back seat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said after she took off her helmet. "Listen carefully. Tonight, I'll be providing support from here. Everything else is the same. The Shadow is currently located inside a monorail, not far from the station. To get there, you'll have to walk on the tracks."

"Are you serious?" Junpei exclaimed. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Don't worry, no electronic equipment is operable during the Dark Hour, including the monorails.

"But, your bike…"

"It's special. Now, if circumstances change, I'll notify you immediately. Let's get started."

"Okay," Yukari said.

"L-Let's do this!" Junpei said with uncertainty.

* * *

The party walked deeper into the station until they saw the train tracks and began heading southbound on the metal walkway that bordered the tracks.

"There's a monorail about 200 meters ahead," Mitsuru announced. "You have to stop the Shadows before they harm the passengers. Hurry!"

They jogged down the walkway looking for the monorail. On the way, Makoto noticed how bright and clear the sky was. In the distance, he could see the tall tower of Tartarus. It remained imposing even though it was so far away.

After a few minutes, they reached a stationary maroon colored monorail. It was quiet and dark and there were no signs of any life on it.

"This is it, right?" Yukari asked.

"Can you all hear me?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes, I can hear you clearly. We just got here, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary."

"The readings are definitely coming from that monorail. Proceed with caution and stay together."

"Got it."

"Heheh, my Persona's just begging to be used!" Junpei said as he placed a hand on his evoker. The three moved to a metal ladder that led up to an open door on the side of the train. Yukari attached her bow to her back and began climbing the ladder. When she almost reached the top, she suddenly stopped.

"Don't look!" Yukari warned them as she placed a hand on her skirt in an attempt to cover her underwear.

"Did you see it?" Junpei whispered and nudged Makoto in his side.

"Pink," Makoto replied with a thumbs up. An arrow then flew down and landed near his foot. "Whoa."

"Heheh, okay it's our turn," Junpei said when Yukari went through the door.

After Makoto made it inside the train, he noticed it was mostly empty except for a standing black coffin on the side. Junpei walked over to it and examined it.

"This poor stiff must be a passenger. He's been Transmogged, huh. Creepy. So guys like him don't remember a thing, right? It's probably better that way."

"It looks like this train was running late," Makoto said. "Explains why there is a passenger here and the fact that the train is lying in the middle of the tracks."

"Huh? Wait a minute. We're not at a station, but the doors are wide-." Before Yukari could finish, the doors of the train began to close. Junpei ran to the nearest door and tried to keep it opened, but the act proved futile as it closed shut with a bang.

"Ow, my fingers!" Junpei pulled back his hand and looked at them. "They're all jacked up!" Contrary to what Junpei had said, his fingers didn't suffer any significant damages.

"What's wrong?" Mitsuru asked, sounding very alarmed. "What happened?"

"It looks like we're trapped inside," Yukari replied.

"It must be the Shadow. It knows you're there. Be ready for anything! Proceed with extreme caution."

"Roger," Makoto said. "Okay let's move." The three of them opened the door leading to the next car and stepped through. This car was like the one they had been in, empty, but for a few coffins.

"What the heck? I don't see any Shadows," Junpei complained.

"Let's keep moving," Makoto said. They continued to the next car and saw the same thing.

"It's so quiet it's creepy," Yukari muttered. They walked to the next door, but before they reached it, Makoto came to a quick stop.

"Wait!" Makoto could hear Yukari gasped as a Shadow fell down in front of them. It was the hairy flying type with the crown.

"There it is!" Junpei shouted as he moved toward the Shadow. The door leading to the next car opened when the Shadow turned around and it left through it.

"Wait!" Mitsuru ordered. "Something's not right. The enemy is acting strangely."

"But, if we don't go after it, we're gonna lose it!" Junpei protested.

"Yuki, what do you think?" Mitsuru asked.

"As far as I know, Shadows don't run away so we should be careful."

"Who needs your advice?" Junpei exclaimed. "We can beat that thing no problem! Hell, I"ll do it myself!" Junpei ran to the next car.

"Junpei, wait!" Yukari shouted.

"Watch out!" Mitsuru warned. "Behind you!" Two Shadows dropped down behind them. One was the hairy type and the other was a new one. It looked like a giant upside down pink hand with what looked like a hand-stitched head on the wrist.

"Take them out, now!" Makoto ordered. Yukari drew an arrow and shot down the flying Shadow before it could do anything. The hand Shadow snapped its fingers and summoned a fire attack where Makoto was standing. He quickly avoided it and sliced the Shadow in two.

"This is just what the enemy wanted," Yukari said with a sigh when the battle was over.

"We have no choice," Mitsuru said. "You have to go after him, or you'll be picked off, one by one."

"Dammit, Stupei! What are you thinking?" Yukari stomped her foot down angrily.

"From what I can tell, he's only a few cars ahead."

"Okay, we'll catch up to-." Two more hand Shadows appeared from the next car blocking their way. "Gah! Get out of the way!" Another flying Shadow appeared behind them.

"Yukari-san, take care of the one behind," Makoto said.

"Got it." Yukari shot down the Shadow while Makoto defeated the two hand Shadows in rapid succession.

"Let's move." The two ran into the next car, but they saw nobody there.

"Junpei's not in this car, either." Yukari sighed and shook her head. "He should know it's too dangerous to go alone. Don't you think he's acting weird? Did you say something to upset him, Makoto-kun?

"No idea."

"Well, we can ask him once we've caught up to him." The door to the next car opened and in walked four hand Shadows.

"We should summon our Personas." Makoto called Orpheus while Yukari called Io. Orpheus burned the two on the left and Io shredded the two on the right with her wind attack. When they were done, they moved to the next car and saw Junpei and Hermes surrounded by several hand and flying hairy Shadows.

"There he is! Shoot! He's surrounded! We've gotta help him!" Yukari moved up to where the battle was. "Junpei!"

"I've got it under control! Take this, you freak of nature!" Junpei was swinging his sword wildly while Hermes was punching the Shadows closest to him. Makoto and Yukari entered the brawl and were able to save Junpei.

"See! That's what happens when you don't listen!" Yukari shouted before calming down. "So, are you alright?"

"O-Of course I am. I was doing just fine." Junpei brushed the dirt off his jacket and pants.

"Excuse me?"

"Let's save the argument for another time," Makoto said as he got between the two of them. "We have more important things to deal with."

"Be careful, you three," Mitsuru suddenly said. "I don't detect any movement, buy stay alert!" The three of them looked around the car until the train began to rumble loudly and moved forward.

"Whoa, what the?" Junpei said as he tried to keep his balance. "Why're we moving?"

"It seems the monorail is under the enemy's control," Mitsuru explained.

"What do you mean, "it seems"? Yukari asked. The train sped up and it was probably now moving about fifty miles per hour.

"Uh, this doesn't look good," Junpei said.

"If we can't stop that thing, it'll crash into another train!" Mitsuru warned.

"WHAT! Oh, God! What are we going to do?" Yukari looked back and forth looking extremely stressed out.

"Calm down and listen. I sense a strong presence in the front car. That must be the one we're after. You'll have to defeat it to stop the train!" When she was done, more flying Shadows dropped down in front of them.

"What kind of messed-up ride is this?" Junpei said as he and the other two attacked the Shadows.

"You don't have much time!" Mitsuru said after they defeated the Shadows. "Run, you have about 8 minutes before contact!" The party then moved to the next car and the train was noticeably moving faster.

"H-Hey? We're gaining speed!" Yukari said as more hand Shadows appeared in front of them.

"Out of the way!" Makoto attacked the Shadows and Yukari and Junpei followed suit. When they were finished, more Shadows appeared from the rear car. "Forget about them, let's just go forward." The party ran to the next car and saw that it was occupied by over a dozen Shadows. "Break through!" The three ran forward and attacked any Shadow that got in the way. They had to be careful though because one mistake would make them slip and fall. After almost a minute, they made it to the next car with only minor injuries.

"There it is," Junpei pointed a finger at the large Shadow in the car.

It looked like a woman wearing a red masquerade mask. Her entire right side was black while her left side was white. Her hair was fused with the left and right sides of the car. Makoto thought that was how she was controlling the train. Behind her, he could see the train's control room.

"What the hell? Is this the friggin' boss?" Junpei asked as he readied his sword.

"We're in the front car so it's gotta be!" Yukari replied and drew an arrow.

"Hurry!" Mitsuru screamed. "You have a little more than 6 minutes!"

"Junpei and Yukari-san, you guys attack it while I cover our rear," Makoto said. He and Orpheus began attacking the Shadows that were getting through the rear door. Yukari, Junpei, Hermes, and Io all charged at the Shadow, but they couldn't go any further. The Shadow had released a wind attack that prevented them from coming any closer.

"That Shadow has no weakness, but it isn't strong against anything else either," Mitsuru said. "Find a way to break through." Yukari shot an arrow at the Shadow, but it dropped straight down when it entered the wall of wind. Io and Hermes released their elemental attacks, but the wall cancelled out the attacks.

"Dammit, nothing's working," Junpei said.

"It looks like it's trying to buy some time until we crash," Yukari said.

"What?" Makoto turned around and was hit by the large Shadow's long arm. He was sent flying out of the train's door.

"Makoto-kun!" Yukari hurried and grabbed Makoto's hand before he flew too far. With her other hand, she grabbed onto the door's side. The quick speed of the train made it hard for her to hold on so her fingers fell off the door one by one until she too flew out the door.

"Yuka-tan!" Junpei was able to grab Yukari's wrist with one hand in time and a pole with another one. He was holding on for dear life as the other two were hanging perilously outside. Junpei couldn't pull them in because the large Shadow was now using the wind to blow them out. Their Personas couldn't help them because they were busy dealing with the minor Shadows entering the car.

Makoto could feel Yukari's grip loosening as the powerful wind caused by the train's acceleration was striking them fiercely. He knew that there wasn't much time left so he had to quickly take action. He began thinking for a few seconds until he found a solution. He carefully grabbed his evoker with his free hand and fired it at his temple.

"Titania, Queen of Fairies!" Shards of light appeared and then there was an attractive young blond woman in a green dress. Her large translucent fairy wings were beating rapidly as it kept her levitated. "Yukari-san, when I say so, order Io to release a wind attack against the large Shadow."

"O-Okay." Titania flew over the train and entered the car from the opposite door.

"Now!" Io stopped attacking the minor Shadows and turned its attention to the large one. Titania moved to her side and the two of them released a wind attack to push against the large Shadow's wind. "Junpei, pull us in now." While the wind was no longer pushing them out, Junpei was able to drag them back inside the car. He was breathing rapidly after the two were safely on aboard.

"Okay, now what?"

"Can Io hold on for a moment, alone?" Makoto asked Yukari.

"I think so. What are you going to do?"

"Just trust me." Makoto recalled Titania and summoned Oberon. He pointed to the wall where one of the large Shadow's wings was fused in. "Use your electric attack." Oberon glowed with static electricity and he released it into the wall. The large Shadow let out a cry and Oberon attacked the other wall. There was an even louder cry this time as the large Shadow's wind attack came to a stop. "Now, attack it while it has its guard down. Junpei, you and I will fend off the smaller Shadows."

"You got it." Junpei and Makoto attacked the Shadows that had entered the car. Yukari and the remaining Personas released attacks after attacks to the large one. They didn't let up as the large Shadow didn't even have a chance to retaliate or defend itself. Eventually, the large Shadow let out a large wailing cry and disappeared along with the other Shadows.

"Did we make it in time?" Junpei looked out of the window. "Hey! Why are we still moving?" The train seemed to have sped up even faster than when the large Shadow was there.

"We're going too fast!" Yukari shouted. "We have to put on the brake or else!" They moved into the control room and saw many levers and switches.

"What are you waiting for?" Mitsuru asked. "You have about 30 more seconds before you collide with the train ahead!"

"Dammit! I don't know how to stop this thing!" Junpei placed both hands onto his head.

"Kyaah!" Yukari shouted as she fell to the floor.

_Pull the third lever from the right._

Makoto heard a female voice in his head. Without evening questioning what he'd heard, he ran up to the lever and pulled it without any hesitation. The train was noticeably slowing down, but he wasn't sure it will stop in time. From the front, he could now see the other train as it grew bigger and bigger.

"10 seconds left!" Mitsuru announced.

"8 seconds!"

"6 seconds!"

"5 seconds!"

"Grab onto something!" Makoto ordered as he grabbed onto the nearest pole. Junpei and Yukari grabbed the poles closest to them.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!" Makoto closed his eyes and braced himself for the crash. However, he heard nothing and opened his eyes. He could see that the other train was only a few inches away from theirs.

"D-Did we stop?" Junpei asked.

"I-I think so," Yukari replied as she let go of the pole. Makoto let out a long and heavy sigh of relief.

"Is everybody alright?" Mitsuru asked.

"Uh, y-yeah, we're okay," Yukari answered. "Ha, haa…My knees are shaking."

"Dude…I'm like drenched in sweat," Junpei said as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Mitsuru said with a sigh. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more on my end. I don't detect any more Shadows. You guys did a great job, so come on home."

"By the way, how did you know which one was the brake?" Yukari asked Makoto.

"Uh, lucky guess."

"You saved me again, thanks."

"Are you shitting me?" Junpei shouted. "Ah, whatever. Wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm freaking hungry!" Makoto and Yukari looked at each other and seemed to have come to the same decision.

"Yeah." The three of them headed back to the station. By then, the Dark Hour was over and they went to a family restaurant that was opened 24 hours. Mitsuru then joined them and paid for the meal.

* * *

**12:15 A.M. Minatodai Dorm Command Room**

Akihiko and Ikutsuki were sitting at the consoles when they heard a beeping noise. Akihiko pressed a button on his right.

"Akihiko here."

"This is Mitsuru. We've successfully completed the operation. The monorail didn't sustain any noticeable damage."

"Thank you, Mitsuru," Ikutsuki said. "When I'd heard they hijacked a monorail, I feared the worst. Well done. Now, I don't have to worry about tomorrow's headlines."

"The team did a great job," Mitsuru said. "They're learning quickly."

"But, what are the Shadows up to?" Akihiko asked. "Taking over a monorail, this is getting out of hand."

"I'll be looking into the matter," Ikutsuki said.

"Does this mean…it's begun?" Mitsuru asked.

"Hmm…Let's not jump to any conclusions. For now, we should study their behavior for patterns or clues. We cannot afford to always wait for them to make the first move."

"If I had more power, things wouldn't be so difficult for others."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing fine. More importantly, do you have anything to drink, Akihiko?" Beads of sweat poured down Ikutsuki's forehead.

"Huh? Why do you look so tired, Ikutsuki-san? Wait…Don't tell me that bicycle outside is yours!"

"Boy, am I gonna be sore tomorrow!"

* * *

**?**

When Makoto opened his eyes, he found that he had been transported to another dream like world. He couldn't see anything, but the darkness around him. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep after returning to the dorm. He didn't even know how he got here. He looked around and realized that this world was like the one where he met the old man in the wheelchair. There was the same powerful pressure in the room that threatened to pulverize his body. He didn't think he would last long if he continued to stay in this world. However, there was no light in the area and he didn't know which way he should go to leave. Just when he thought he should just wander aimlessly until he hit something, he felt another presence nearby.

Whoever or whatever it is, Makoto could feel its powerful presence from just standing where he was. The pressure in the room seemed to have gotten a lot stronger and he felt his energy was depleting a lot faster than before.

"Is somebody there?" Makoto could hear his voice echo continuously in the room as if he was in a cave. There was no reply to his question, but he did feel something like a strong draft began blowing around him.

"Here I was thinking that an old friend had come to visit, but to think I would meet a human," A very soft, but eerie voice said from the darkness. Makoto could clearly hear the voice amidst the deafening silence. "Not who I would expect to be the first visitor of this dark world after thousands of years." He didn't know where the voice originated from because it sounded like it was resounding from all directions. "Very interesting, you indeed carry the smell of _death_, in more ways than one." The voice let out a faint chuckle.

"Who are you and where are you?" Makoto turned his body around as he tried to find where the voice came from. His heart began beating faster as a small drop of terror was instilled in his body. His senses were telling him that he shouldn't be here and he had to get out as quickly as possible before something horrible would happen.

"Hmmm? It seems like you can't see anything judging by your amusing and futile attempt to find me. This place is not for any mere mortal to tread upon, especially for those that live by the light."

"Then, where _is_ this place?" Makoto stopped moving and tried to concentrate on the voice.

"This…is the world of the dead!" The voice responded in a loud ghastly tone. Makoto gulped and shuddered as he realized the grave predicament that he was in now. "I guess I'll take pity on you and give you a little light so we can have a normal conversation face to face." Makoto heard a finger snapped and the area around him began to brighten up. He was first able to see his hands, then his body. The light had only illuminated about twenty feet around him and he still couldn't see where the other person was. "What? Still can't see me? Then how about now?"

The area about thirty feet in front of Makoto began to illuminate until he was able to see what looked like a person in a white robe sitting on a white horse. However, he immediately realized it wasn't any normal person and horse that he was looking at. The horse was larger than any horse he had ever seen. It stood about ten feet tall and its eyes were an eerie red. What looked like white smoke was surrounding its feet, making it seemed like it was standing on thin air.

Makoto was startled when he saw that the rider's face was a skull with piercing red eyes that looked at him with such intensity that he felt like he could shatter into pieces any second now. The rider looked like he was about seven feet tall and he had a golden quiver with many arrows on his back. There was also a golden crown decorating his hairless skull. With his skeletal right hand, he gripped the horse's reins and in his left was a large golden bow. When Makoto got a complete look at the rider, he subconsciously trembled and moved a few inches away from him.

"W-What are you?"

"I am PESTILENCE, the White Rider!" The rider replied in a loud thunderous voice. He began to glow white as a powerful surge of energy erupted from his body knocking Makoto back.

"Then, you are one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" Makoto now knew why his senses were telling him to get away. He was in the presence of something he couldn't even fathomed, an all powerful being. This must be the warning he was given over a month ago.

"Correct. The day that I am summoned into your world is the day that will mark the beginning of the end. The humans may be safe from my clutches for a while, but you however, are doomed the moment you stepped into this world." Makoto could feel PESTILENCE's energy increasing and he knew that a fight was about to begin. "It has been interesting and I'm sad that we have to end things like this, but this is how it's going to be."

"Wait! I didn't even want to be here. So, could you just let me go?"

"True, you didn't consciously choose to enter this place. However, the one within you has brought you here. Blame your own misfortune, child and FAREWELL!"

Makoto quickly moved away, but was immediately struck in the shoulder by one of PESTILENCE's arrows.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" A surge of pain erupted from the entry point and spread throughout Makoto's body. It felt like he was on fire as he clutched the area near the arrow. He could see bright red blood dripping down his chest. Biting down on the pain, Makoto knew that he couldn't run away so like a mouse backed into a corner by a cat, he had nothing else to lose by attacking back. However, he didn't have his evoker with him or his katana. He was essentially armless.

"That's an impressive look you have," PESTILENCE said as he saw Makoto's intense determined gaze. "It's a shame that I have to kill someone such as you, but it also means that I will greatly enjoy our game." He quickly drew an arrow and fired it at Makoto who barely avoided it. Undeterred, he continued to fire arrows after arrows at Makoto. All the arrows had missed its targets as Makoto relied on his instincts to dodge them. However, Makoto couldn't keep it up as his movements slowed down and was struck once more in the area near the first arrow.

"Tch," Makoto hissed as a new wave of pain burned his body. He suddenly felt dizzy and his breathing became rapid. A small shiver ran through his body as he felt the room's temperature dropped a few degrees. There was something strange happening to his body. He was getting weaker by something else other than the pain inflicted by the arrows.

"I see the effects are beginning to kick in," PESTILENCE said.

"What effects?" Makoto felt like it was getting harder to concentrate on PESTILENCE for some reason.

"Just like the meaning of my name, I bring infectious diseases to the world. The arrows I use are not ordinary arrows. They are full of poison and they will quickly contaminate your body with all the world's diseases. Can you feel it? Your body is succumbing to the virus spreading inside you, which will kill you before I kill you myself."

Just when Makoto thought that the situation couldn't get any worse, it actually did within a few seconds. Whatever hope he had of getting out alive was quickly dissipating. He found it ironic that as his chance of survival gets smaller, his drive to fight back increases. He concentrated with all his might to summon a Persona because he remembered that he could call one even without an evoker. PESTILENCE released another arrow when he saw Makoto's body glowed in a blue aura.

"Orpheus!" Out of Makoto's body appeared Orpheus who immediately struck the arrow away with his lyre.

"Hoohhh, this has become more interesting, don't disappoint me now, child!" PESTILENCE released volleys after volleys of arrows. Orpheus struggled to keep up the defensive maneuver because the speed that PESTILENCE was firing his arrows was at a whole another level. Makoto couldn't even see the entire firing motion. It was as if every time PESTILENCE grabbed an arrow from his quiver, it shot at Makoto immediately after. To make matters worse, his supply of arrows seemed to be infinite.

* * *

**Minatodai Dorm Rooftop**

On this cold silent night when Makoto was undergoing an ordeal, four angels were huddled around a circular rift in space, showing the events currently transpiring in the world of the dead. They could see Makoto's battle with PESTILENCE inside the rift like a movie being played on T.V.

"This kid sure is unlucky to actually come into contact with PESTILENCE," the blue haired angel said in a serious tone. "I guess he really is special."

"What should we do?" The female angel with green hair asked. "If we leave him there, then he will certainly die."

"This matter is entirely separate from The Fall so we can intervene," the red haired angel advised.

"You're right," the golden haired angel said with a nod. "Now that we know that he is the one, we can't let him die. We won't be interfering with The Fall so we can help him. For now, one of us will assist him. Any volunteers?"

"I'll do it." The blue haired angel raised his hand. "I think I'm the best one to handle PESTILENCE."

"Very well, if it proves too much for you, then call us. Remember, no mention of The Fall or his destiny."

"Understood, boss." The blue haired angel saluted the golden haired angel and disappeared.

"Tell the child, that help is coming," the golden haired angel said to the female angel.

"I'm on it."

"Let's pray that he gets out of this ordeal alive."

* * *

**World of the Dead**

After a few seconds of more target practice, Makoto saw a small delay in PESTILENCE's next attack. This opening was the chance he was waiting for so he decided it was time to counterattack.

"Get him, now!" Orpheus summoned a large fireball over his head and threw it at PESTILENCE who was enveloped by the powerful flames. Hoping that it would do some damage, Makoto took the chance to take a breather. It didn't last long as an arrow shot through the flames and pierced straight into Orpheus' forehead. "Aaahhh!" Makoto grabbed his forehead in an attempt to contain the pain as Orpheus disappeared from the battlefield.

"That feels quite nice," PESTILENCE said as the flames evaporated into the air and he fanned himself with his bony hand. "I hope that you're not finished yet."

Clenching his teeth, Makoto summoned his next Persona. "Oberon, it's your turn." Oberon appeared and his body began to be surrounded by electricity. Flapping his wings with intense speed, Oberon dived straight into PESTILENCE who disappeared at the last moment. Oberon came to a stop and looked around. Countless arrows that came from all directions then gutted his small body. Another wave of pain shot through Makoto's body as Oberon disappeared and a stray arrow had pierced his thigh. He fell onto one knee and felt that his energy was nearly depleted from the pain caused by the arrows and the diseases inside his body. Apparently, the horseman could summon arrows instead of just manually fire them. PESTILENCE was the most powerful opponent he had ever faced in his life and he didn't think he could hope to win. He was outclassed in both power and speed.

_Hold on for a few more moments. Help is coming._

A female voice echoed inside his head. Her soothing and calm voice renewed the waning hope he had despite the possibility of his imagination playing tricks on him. However, it was definitely the same voice that had told him about the right lever when the train was running out of control. He clearly heard it then so it was probably the same now as well. There was a chance that he would escape this hellish place if he just waited a little longer. Fighting through the pain, he struggled to get on his feet.

"I'm…not…done yet!"

"Your determination is admirable." PESTILENCE clapped his hands. "For that, I'll grant you a quick and painless death the moment this battle ends." He fired a dozen arrows at Makoto.

"Titania!" The Queen of Fairies appeared and called forth a wall of wind to prevent the arrows from coming any closer. Despite the powerful force of the wind, the arrows were continuing to push through it. A thunderbolt then struck Titania from somewhere above causing the wind to disappear and the arrows to continue its trajectory. Titania was struck by the arrows and disappeared.

"Next…Berith!" Makoto could barely say the name as a man in silver armor on a brown horse appeared. With his lance ready, he charged at PESTILENCE. The demonic white horse quickly spun around and back kicked Berith and his horse away. Makoto didn't have the chance to summon another Persona as PESTILENCE disappeared and reappeared next to him. Before he even got the chance to react, PESTILENCE grabbed him by the throat and lifted him high up into the air. The icy cold fingers were freezing his body and draining his energy. As PESTILENCE's grip tightened, Makoto could only feel the intense pressure on his throat as it was on the verge of snapping into pieces. He squirmed around and tried to pull the bony hand off. When his vision began to distort and he was on the brink of blacking out, PESTILENCE grinned and threw him far away into the distance.

Makoto coughed violently as he grasped for air. His eyelids were getting so heavy that it was hard to keep them opened. His face and skin were a deathly pale white. His Personas were proving futile and they couldn't do anything against this monster. He wished Mitsuru were here so she could tell him what PESTILENCE's weakness was, even though it was likely he had none. With practically no energy left, he decided to call forth his trump card, the monster inside him. At this point, it didn't matter if he couldn't control it so long as it gave him a chance to survive. Makoto looked deep within him and tried to call forth the monster. However, he was shocked when he couldn't find any trace of it. Up until now, Makoto had always felt the monster's presence as it tried to claw its way out especially during a fight. Now, there was simply nothing.

"Don't tell me you want to call the being that dwells within you?" PESTILENCE asked with a slight hint of amusement. "Forget about it. It's useless."

"W-What?"

"Creatures of Death cannot kill other creatures of Death. It's because we are already dead. That is why the one within you has no desire to fight me. Of course, creatures of Death are like family so there's no reason for any of us to fight in the first place." PESTILENCE let out a loud cackling laugh.

Makoto lost all energy in his legs and fell down when he realized that he was out of options. Try as he might, there does not appear to be anyway out of the situation. Time had run out and his body had resigned to his fate.

"It seems that the end has come for you. Farewell, it has been fun." Dozens of arrows flew into the air and dived straight down onto Makoto who just sat in his spot staring blankly at them.

"Not yet!" A voice shouted through the darkness. The area in front of Makoto glowed a brilliant white light and the first thing he saw out of it was a large pair of golden-feathered wings. The light shattered with a loud explosion, knocking the arrows away. A glowing figure appeared where the light had been and he was garbed in shiny blue steel armor and leggings. In his right hand was a well-polished thin sword that was about three and half foot long. He was levitating off the ground and he looked like he was more than six feet tall. His spiky hair was sky blue and he had a face that resembled the western celebrities he sometimes saw in magazines. "Are you okay?" He asked as he kept his back facing Makoto.

"Uh, y-yeah. Who are you?" Makoto wanted to rub his eyes to make sure that the figure in front of him wasn't an illusion, but he didn't have the energy to even do that.

"I'm the Archangel Raphael, also known as the "Great Healer." He turned around and gave Makoto a smile. "I'm here to help."

"Well, well, well, today has become a day to remember," PESTILENCE said with a hint of excitement. "It's been a long time, so why now have you decided to visit me?"

"I can't let you kill this, child."

"Why would someone such as you protect a lowly human?...Don't tell me he's..." PESTILENCE stopped in mid sentence and stared intently at Makoto. Whatever he was looking for, he founded it after a few seconds. "I see now. This boy is actually more special than I gave him credit."

"So you now know why he must not die."

"I understand," PESTILENCE said with a nod. "But that's not going to stop me. I am not interested in your battles, Archangel. This is my domain and you are the one intruding. You are free to leave, but the boy stays."

Raphael looked around him as he tried to search for something. "Damn, I was hoping I could escape with him, but it looks like you closed off the exit. And I can't even teleport here. Guess there's only one choice." He took his sword and pointed at PESTILENCE. "I'm going to have to stop you here and now."

"Are you sure?" PESTILENCE asked with a laugh. "It looks like you are still recovering from _that_ war. You do not have the power to stop me."

"We'll see about that." Raphael turned to Makoto who was completely confused by the exchange between the two powerful entities. "It looks like you're almost done in by the diseases. Let me take care of that." He moved his hand to a few inches away from Makoto's face and bathed him in a bright blue warm light. Makoto immediately felt the effects and the growing pain in him had subsided and vanished. Newfound warmth and heat spread throughout his body, as he felt rejuvenated. The only pain he still felt was the numbing sensation left from the three arrows. He could also feel a faint energy deep within his body and it was growing bigger for every second that passes.

Makoto was impressed by the Archangel who was like a miracle worker capable of healing someone from a near death state to 100% of his health. Yukari's healing had nothing on him. While Makoto was still protected by the healing aura, he pulled each of the three arrows out with little difficulty. It seemed that the aura was acting like a painkiller so he didn't feel a lot of pain when he pulled them out. He could still however see the small bloody gaping hole left by the arrows.

"That should protect you against his diseases for a while. You probably have a lot of questions, but let's just focus on the battle here, okay?" Raphael asked Makoto.

"I can't complain." Dozens of questions did circulated in Makoto's mind such as why Raphael was helping him, but he knew better than to think about them when there was something far more important now.

"Just to let you know, in my current condition, we have a less than 10 percent chance of defeating PESTILENCE."

"Seriously? Then what do you plan on doing?"

"PESTILENCE is a Death God so he can't be killed. The best we could do is drive him away or make him give up."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"We keep on fighting him till he is satisfied. Trust me, I speak from experience." Raphael didn't look worried at all as he gave Makoto a thumbs up.

"If that's the only way…"

"First we're going to need a weapon for you to use. Despite my appearance, I'm not a combat specialist compared to some of my brethren so I'm going to need your help."

Makoto looked around the area. "There's nothing here I could use."

"You use a katana right?"

"How did you-?"

"Just concentrate on the place where you left it and I'll use my powers to summon it here. Don't worry about PESTILENCE interfering in the mean time. Look, he's in no rush to finish us off." Makoto looked at PESTILENCE and from what he could tell; PESTILENCE seemed relax and didn't show any signs of attacking them.

"Okay, I'll do it then." Makoto closed his eyes and pictured his room. On the platform near his bed, there was a small stand where he left his katana on display. Even in his mind, he could still see the shiny dark blue scabbard housing the katana.

Raphael moved a blue glowing hand over Makoto's head. "Alright, I got it."

A small light appeared in front of Makoto and he then saw Yoshitsune floating in the air. He grabbed it and moved his hand over the scabbard to make sure that it was the real thing. Satisfied, he hooked the scabbard to his belt and placed a hand on the handle.

"I'll handle most of the offense while you give me support," Raphael said. "Attack when you get a chance, but don't overdo it. When we advance, stay close to me."

"Alright."

"Then let's begin. Whatever happens, at least know that you'll be the first human to challenge a Horsemen of the Apocalypse."

"I don't think that makes me feel any better." Makoto then followed Raphael as he charged forward the awaiting PESTILENCE. Dozens of arrows fired straight at the two. Raphael deflected and blocked the incoming attacks with relative ease. Contrary to what Raphael had stated earlier, he seemed very experience and skilled when he took on the arrows. As planned, Makoto had kept close behind Raphael so he didn't worry too much about defending himself.

They quickly closed in on PESTILENCE and Raphael did a quick horizontal cut. PESTILENCE evaded the attack by disappearing and reappearing behind Makoto and shot an arrow at him. Makoto parried the arrow on reflex to avoid a fatal blow. Raphael released a powerful gust of wind with the wave of his sword to strike PESTILENCE. Makoto summoned Titania and released his own wind attack to increase the power. The combined attack created a powerful torrent of energy that descended onto PESTILENCE who countered by firing arrows embedded with electricity. The two elemental forces went head to head creating a loud deafening disturbance and the area began to shake violently. Makoto could hear the energy buildup as it reached destructive levels.

"It's going to explode!" Raphael yelled as he grabbed Makoto by his shirt and quickly flew away to safety. The energy erupted into a powerful explosion decimating the area of more than a 30-foot radius. Makoto and Raphael had narrowly avoided it in time by a few seconds. Before they could take a breather, dozens of arrows rained on them from all sides. With no way to protect himself and Makoto, Raphael wrapped his wings over Makoto to shield him from the arrows.

"It seems the child is proving to be quite the handicap for you, eh Archangel?" PESTILENCE laughed from about twenty feet away from them.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked when Raphael lifted his wings.

"Don't worry about it. Archangels are built very strong." Raphael glowed with yellow light and the arrows disappeared leaving a few small punctured holes. "Let's continue." Raphael flew toward PESTILENCE and released a flurry of strikes. PESTILENCE blocked the attacks with his bow and used it as a blunt weapon to counterattack. The two fell into a heated confrontation as they exchanged blows after blows. They were attacking so fast that parts of their arms were disappearing and reappearing.

Makoto couldn't even get close to them fearing that he would get hacked into pieces so he swiftly moved behind PESTILENCE and drew his blade. He raised it over his head and was about to do a jumping strike, but an arrow shot out from somewhere behind him and pierced his arm. He jumped back to avoid another incoming arrow and then summoned Oberon who shot out a bolt of electricity at PESTILENCE. The attack had slightly distracted PESTILENCE who turned his head to face Makoto. Taking advantage of the opening in PESTILENCE's defense, Raphael plunge his sword deep into the Death God's abdomen. However, Raphael knew that something was wrong when it didn't go in as deep as he thought.

PESTILENCE forced Makoto to move back by raining electric arrows down onto him. He then turned back to Raphael and gave him a smirk. He slightly lifted his right hand and revealed that he was gripping the blade and preventing it from pushing any deeper. "Oooh, close one, but not this time!" PESTILENCE pushed back against the sword and sent Raphael flying away.

In the meantime, Makoto had once again snuck behind PESTILENCE. He unsheathed his blade with one swift motion and slashed the horse in its side. The cut had caused some damage as the horse whinnied loudly in response and an electric field then surrounded it, knocking Makoto a few feet back. "You're one sneaky human to catch me off guard like that. Don't think it will happen again."

"Don't count me out, just yet!" Raphael descended onto PESTILENCE and continued where he left off by unleashing lightning speed thrusts of the sword. His movements had noticeably become faster as PESTILENCE could do nothing else in response besides defending himself. Hoping to turn the tide, PESTILENCE enacted his electric field to push the Archangel away, but Raphael enacted a wind field of his own to continue his momentum. As the two superpowers clashed, the area around them shook with so much force that Makoto thought the world they were in was going to explode.

Makoto would like to assist Raphael, but he was preoccupied in protecting himself from the countless rain of arrows. Orpheus was with him as he knocked the arrows away with his lyre. However, his presence didn't alleviate Makoto's burden as he was still trapped from moving anywhere else. After three minutes of continuous dodging and parrying, Makoto felt his body succumbing to fatigue. His movements slowed down and he was struck twice in the thigh, knocking him off his feet. He gripped his bloodied leg as dozens of arrows impaled Orpheus. The arrows then stopped appearing as if PESTILENCE accomplished what he sought out to do, immobilize Makoto.

As he sat on the dark floor fighting against the pain, Makoto felt that the battle was ending for him. The virus in the air was again taking effect in his body and draining his energy. He pounded his fist angrily onto the floor because he wasn't strong enough to defeat the Death God. He never thought he would say it, but he _needed_ more power. It was then he heard a voice.

_Do you desire my power?_ Somebody whispered in his head.

_Do you desire my power?_ The voice repeated its question in a louder and clearer voice. It wasn't the voice of the monster in him and it wasn't a voice that he had heard before. It sounded more divine and ethereal.

_Do you desire my power?_ After he heard it the third time, Makoto understood what it was asking and what he needed to do. He had asked for more power and he planned to accept this mysterious power regardless of what it is. He was backed into a corner and the only thing he could do to survive is fight back with everything he had.

"Yes, I want your power in order to live."

_Then I shall lend you a small portion of my power. _Makoto immediately felt an intense wave of energy enveloping his body. A white aura of light surrounded his body and he could feel a burning heat running through his veins. Different from the dark energy of the monster inside, this energy was like the light that resembled the Archangel's power. Pure, yet destructive. It was unlike any power he had ever felt before and it was beginning to overwhelm his body.

Raphael and PESTILENCE had noticed the appearance of the extraordinary energy and ceased their fighting. They watched Makoto with both awe and curiosity. To Raphael, the energy exuding from Makoto was familiar. "Has he awakened to his true power?"

"Interesting, I'm curious as to what else this child can do." PESTILENCE summoned about fifty arrows and sent them flying at Makoto who saw them coming and ran directly into the bombardment. Makoto wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but he just knew that if he kept still, the power would destroy his body. He had to release the energy so he moved toward PESTILENCE and tried to dodge some of the arrows on the way. His speed had greatly increased because of the energy and his reaction time had improved. He evaded some of the arrows, but the remaining ones made contact with his body. Half a dozen arrows punctured his chest and some had left cuts on his cheeks, arms and legs when he narrowly dodged them. He was high on the energy and couldn't even feel the pain. After he was through the field of arrows, he was only twenty feet away from PESTILENCE.

"Get out of the way!" Makoto shouted to Raphael who flew away immediately after he realized that he was going to be caught in whatever Makoto had planned. He then sheathed his blade and jumped high into the air. He kept his right hand on the scabbard and his left hand on the grip as he focused all of the energy he had into the blade. "Take this!" He drew the katana with a loud boom and unleashed a massive white shockwave downward. PESTILENCE could have dodged the attack, but he was temporarily mesmerized by the brilliance of the light so he stood his ground. The shockwave knocked him and his horse over and they then disappeared as if devoured by the light.

When the thunderous roar of the shockwave had past, Makoto and Raphael stood where they were as they waited for PESTILENCE to reappear. The light and surge of energy had left Makoto's body leaving him extremely exhausted. After a minute, they heard someone slowly clapping his hands. "That was outstanding, child," PESTILENCE said when he reappeared. Makoto noticed that there wasn't even a scratch on his body as if he didn't hurt him at all. "Truly a day to remember. For entertaining me for so long, I will allow you to leave."

"R-Really?" Makoto asked as he felt his heart jump for joy.

"I may be a creature of Death, but I always keep my word. However, know that this isn't over yet. I'm sure my brethren will be interested in _meeting_ you." PESTILENCE then disappeared and Makoto could hear him laughing maniacally from the darkness.

"Whew, I guess that's over," Raphael said as he wiped his forehead with his arm. "It's about time we leave as well."

"Wait, so can you tell me what's going on now?"

"Afraid not, Boss' orders. We will tell you when you're ready."

"I've heard that before," Makoto muttered.

"Don't worry," Raphael said with a laugh. "Everything will make sense in due time. See ya." The area around them turned white and the both of them then disappeared.

* * *

**3:02 A.M. Makoto's Room**

Makoto opened his eyes with a start. For a while, he just stared blankly at the ceiling and wondered if the battle with PESTILENCE was all a dream. There was a throbbing pain in his shoulders, arms, and thighs. They were all places where the arrows had pierced him. In his left hand, he was gripping tightly to Yoshitsune and he saw its scabbard on the ground. That was definitely not a dream. There was a lot he wanted to think about, but he was too tired to try.

He'll think about his newfound problems on another day. As PESTILENCE had said, this was a night to remember. Even if he tried, he couldn't forget about it. The fact that his battle took place on the same night as the battle on the train was just misfortunate. With a sigh, he sheathed his sword and returned it to the stand. After he gulped down an entire bottle of water in his fridge, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Minatodai Dorm Rooftop**

"So how'd it go?" The golden haired angel asked Raphael when he returned.

"You saw the battle, right? I'm just thankful that nothing worse happened."

"We saw the boy's power," the red haired angel said. "He is beginning to awaken to his destiny."

"It was impressive, even though it currently does not match our power. I can however see that he will become quite powerful once he learns to control the power."

"We have to be even more careful, now," the female angel said. "PESTILENCE won't be the only one to attack the boy."

"Yes, keep your eyes and ears open," the golden haired angel said in agreement. "Should another situation like this arise, we will be there to assist him."


End file.
